35 
No. 238. P. miniata . Ag. Plane, solitary, oblong, lanceolate, rose red. 
Autumn, on F. nodosus at Hurlgate, half an inch long, pink or rose red, inclining to purple, near low 
water mark. I have only two plants of this species ; though not abundant, one or two dozen may be ga¬ 
thered in a day. When first discovered I supposed it very young, and preferred waiting for a more mature 
growth ; on a subsequent visit, though only ten days had elapsed, the plant had entirely disappeared. The 
proverbs, “ Make hay while the sun shines,” “ A bird in the hand, &c.,” may be followed with advantage 
by the student in Algology; the birth, the seed time, and harvest of many plants, occur before the waning 
moon has once filled her horns. 
Family XVII. NOSTOCHXHJB. Ag. 
Green, composed of mondiform filaments, lying in a gelatinous matrix. 
Genus, SPERMOSEIRA. Ag. 
Cylindrical, free, simple, in a very delicate membraneous tube, cells compressed, 
connecting cells large ; fructification, spores or zoospores in the articulations. 
No. 245. S. litorea. Kiitz. Robust, nearly straight, composed of very short 
compressed cells. 
Abundant in autumn on decaying Algae, from deep green when young, to dull brown when old, entan¬ 
gled and rigid, filaments from a quarter inch to two inches lon^, very brittle when dry, does not adhere to 
paper; can be preserved only by covering with gum, and is then difficult to recognise with the unas¬ 
sisted eye. We have several plants belonging to this genus that are of microscopic size, and not suited to this 
work. 
