February 2. 
THE COTTAGE GARDENER. 
349 
previous views were wrong; it is, as has been truly said, simply 
confessing that we are wiser to-day than we were yesterday. 
I am thus circumstanced with regard to the anatomy of the 
birds called Hen-Cocks, one of which I exhibited at the 
Surrey Summer Show, and described at page 80S) of the last 
volume, stating that I regarded it as a male bird, with some 
arrest of development in the plumage. Recently I killed it 
for the purpose of examination, and found that it was simply 
a hen in which the ovary had never been developed, but had 
degenerated into a hard cartilaginous mass. This bird, as 
may be seen by referring to its description, was remarkably 
like a cock, in comb, wattles, general carriage, &c.,and from 
its examination, therefore, I am induced to hazard an 
opinion that all so-called Hen-Cocks are simply hens in 
which the ovary has never been developed; this will account 
satisfactorily for the fact that those persons who (imagining 
them to be cocks) have endeavoured to breed from them have 
invariably failed to do so. In fact, I regard the only differ¬ 
ence between what has been termed a Hen-Cock and a 
i Crowing Hen (such as that whose post-mortem is described 
at page 128 of the present volumo) to be, that in the Hen- 
Cock the ovary is never developed, or is diseased before it 
I arrives at an active state; whilst in the Crowing Hen the 
ovary becomes diseased after having been in action, and, 
i therefore, after the bird has laid. 
The first condition, therefore, occurs in pullets, and as 
\ they grow they assume, more or less, the gait, comb, &c., of 
the cock—hence the name of Hen-Cock; the latter are old 
liens, who, having arrived at their full growth, necessarily 
retain their form and habit3 to a greater degree, and are, 
therefore, termed simply Crowing Hens. 
Although both kinds may be kept as a matter of curiosity, 
it will be seen that they are quite unprofitable, in an econo¬ 
mical point of view, as layers. I may mention, however, 
that Mr. Yarrell informed me that they are admirable nurses 
to broods of young chicken, but I have had no experience 
in their employment for this purpose.—W. B. Tegetmeier, 
Willesden , near London. 
SEA WEEDS. 
(Continued from page 310.) 
ORDER 10.—DELESSERIACEfE. 
We come next to the tenth order, Lelesseriaccte, which, 
though not very numerous, are extremely beautiful and 
attractive, both as regards colour and foim. 
1. DELESSERIA. 
“ Rose-red, flat, membranaceous, with a per-current mid¬ 
rib ; fructification of two kinds on distinct individuals. 
Named in honour of M. Bcig-Dcllessort, a distinguished 
French naturalist.”— Harvey. 
1. D. sanuuinea (Blood-coloured).— Growing on rocks 
in the sea, bearing numerous leaves from two to eight 
inches long, of a reddish-pink when living, but becoming a 
most lovely rose-colour, tinted sometimes with violet, when 
dried. The leaves, or fronds, are shaped like those of a 
Dock. The Rev. Dr. Landsborough mentions a beautiful 
variety of this plant which was once found floating at 
Sultivalts by Miss McLeish (a most zealous and diligent 
weed-gatherer). It was a great bunch, of a dozen branches, 
some of the fronds being eight inches in length, and five- 
and-a-half in breadth. The peculiarity of this remarkable 1 
variety was, that it was lobed somewhat like Delesseria 
sinuosa, with a midrib in each lobe. Dr. L. also mentions a 
“ magnificent frond of D. sanguinea, in the possession of 
Major Martin, of Ardrossan, thirteen inches long, and eight 
inches broad.” It is common, but so beautiful that it is 
universally admired. It is very fine on the Cumberland 
coast, and a blacksmith there sent me a number of fine 
specimens, and said he had cut about three hundred from 
the rocks. He is much interested in all branches of natural 
history, and it is a delightful recreation for him after the 
labours of the day are ended. 
2. D. sinuosa (Scolloped) is also common, but very pretty. 
It is a parasite on the larger algte. In spring the young 
fronds are of a rosy-pink, but later in the season of a 
darker hue, and varying from a brownish-purple-red to 
crimson ; when older still, the leaves are often tinted with 
green. It adheres well to paper when not too old. 
3. D. ai.ata (Winged).—Very abundant. The stem is much 
branched, and with a winged membrane, but no leaves. 
The colour is a deep red. This plant makes pretty speci¬ 
mens for the herbarium. 
4. D. angustissima (Narrowest).—Much like the last, but 
a narrower frond. Harvey says, that it appears to him an 
extreme variety of a variable plant. 
5'. D. hyi'OGLOSSUM (Tongue-shaped).—The frond of this 
pretty Delesseria is much branched, so that it forms quite a 
little bush. The lance-shaped leaves have a midrib. It 
grows on rocks, and is parasitic on other algse—is “ from 
four to six inches in diameter.” In Ireland, the breadth 
of the frond is much greater than in British specimens. 
Colour varies from pink to red or crimson. 
G. D. euscifolia (Ruscus-leaved)—Not very common ; 
the frond proliferous, and broader and shorter than the 
last. The colour is a fine red. On rocks, &c. 
2. NITOPHYLLUM. 
“ Frond plane, delicately membranaceous, rose-coloured, 
reticulated, wholly without veins, or very slight vague ones 
towards the base. Fructification hemispherical capsules, 
imbedded in the substance of the frond, and ternate 
granules forming distinct scattered spots.”— Creville. 
1. N. ruNCTATUM (Dotted). The frond is very thin, and 
divided into segments, the fructification scattered all over 
it. It grows on algm, and is an annual and a summer 
weed. Harvey speaks of gigantic specimens found by Mr. 
D. Moore, at Cushendall Bay, north of Ireland, five feet 
long and three feet wide! A beautiful species. 
2 . N. Hillle (Hill's).—“ On rocks ; rare; first found by 
Miss Hill, at Plymouth." It is a handsome plant, of a sort 
of mulberry-colour, becoming orange-colour when put into 
fresh water. When recently gathered it has a very un¬ 
pleasant smell. 
3. N. Bonnemaisoni (Bonnemaison’s).—Rare. “Frond 
with a short cartaliginous stem, broadly fan-shaped, two to 
four inches long, and about as broad; more or less deeply 
cleft; substance very thin and delicate ; closely adhering to 
paper.”— Harvey. 
4. N. Gmelini (Gmelin’s).—On rocks; rare; colour pur¬ 
plish-red. 
5. N. laceratum (Lacerated).—The frond of this very 
variably shaped weed is much divided, and from two to ten 
inches in length ; it is common, but makes pretty specimens. 
Very abundant indeed on the Cumberland coast, nearFlimby, 
Maryport, Allouby. &c. 
G. N. versicolor (Changing - coloured).—Rosy-red 
changing to orange-colour in fresh water. Miss Gifford 
says, that when the water first comes in contact with the frond 
it immediatly loses its crispness, hissing and crackling like 
slackened lime, giving out at the same time a peculiar strong 
and pungent odour which makes the eyes smart. She has 
examined dozens of specimens in the hope -of discovering 
the fructification, but without success. It has never been 
found in a growing state, but is thrown ashore by the tides, 
from June to August, in the south of England and Ireland. 
3. PLOCAMIUM. 
“Frond filiform, compressed, between membraneous and 
