British sea-weeds. Drawn from Professor Harvey's "Phycologia britannica." With descriptions, an amateur's synopsis, rules for laying out sea-weeds, an order for arranging them in the herbarium, and an appendix of new species

Front matter

I i

BEITISH SEA -WEEDS.

BRITISH SEA-WEEDS./

Introduction

“ Come unto these yellow sands,

And there take hands ”

Even the happy people of whom the strange phrase is used, that “ money is no object to them,” cannot command fate altogether. They are mortal in respect of their minds ; and cannot, with all appliances, get away from the inexorable law which rules that whoever would find the world interesting must work out an interest in it for himself. Much may be done, it is true, by unlimited wealth, to stave off the hour of ennui, but nothing answers so effectually as a healthy, earnest employment, whether of body or mind. Everything but w^hat a man labours for becomes wearisome to him after a time — a cherished occupation never; for although on some particular day he may have tired himself in its pursuit, the object pursued is as dear to him as ever, when the next morning’s sun wakes him from the blessing of rest to the still higher blessing of exertion.

It may seem strange to open an introduction to a set of sea-weed descriptions with a somewhat trite moral reflection, but it has its particular mission in this particular case. It justifies the labour to which the book calls its readers, as well as that which the writer has gone through ; and holds out to the former the encouragement of hope that their trouble will not be thrown away.

It was once prettily said by a lady who cultivated flowers, that she had “ buried many a care in her garden and the sea-weed collector can often say the same of his garden — the shore ; as many a loving disciple could testify, who, having taken up the pursuit originally as a resource against weariness, or a light possible occupation during hours of sickness, has ended by an enthusiastic love, which throws a charm over every sea-place on the coast, however dull and ugly to the world in general ; makes every day spent there too short, and every visit too quickly ended. Only let there be sea, and plenty of low, dark rocks stretching out, peninsularlike, into it ; and only let the dinner-hour be fixed for high-water time, — and the loving disciple asks no more of fate. Turn him out on that flat, and, to you (0 Gentile of the outer courts), uninteresting shore, with a basket, a bottle, a stick, a strong pair of boots (oiled, not polished with blacking), and, let us add, to crown the comfort, a strong, friendly, and willing, if not learned companion; and all the crowned heads of Europe may be shaken without his being able to feel that he cares. When the returning tide has driven him backwards from his best hunting grounds, and sent him home at last to dinner and things of the earth, earthy, the squabbles of nations may come in for a share of his attention perhaps ; but, even then, only imperfectly, for the collected treasures have to be examined and preserved, and the heart of the collector yearns after them.

vil]

INTRODUCTION.

Does any one doubt the truth of this picture, and imagine it merely a fancy description got up to throw a fictitious charm over the subject of the book? If he does so, let him undeceive himself at once. Fictitious extasies inevitably betray themselves, and he is no Lavater of the mind who can suspect that this is one. On the contrary, it is but a very poor transcript of the delight which hundreds have experienced already in this as in other investigations of the wonderful works of God ; and it is to be hoped that hundreds will experience it again. Youth is not necessary to it, riches are not necessary to it, and a moderate amount of bodily health and strength will suffice, and will, in many cases, increase with the using ; or the able and willing assistant-hunter may save the elder one a part of the bodily labour, and receive a more than double amount of good in return, as the two sit together on a rock for rest and pleasant discourse on things of Heaven and things of that Earth which the Almighty has given to the children of men, not merely as a picture-book to be stared at, but as written pages to be read and studied.

About this shore-hunting, however, as regards my own sex (so many of whom, I know, are interested in the pursuit), many difficulties are apt to arise ; among the foremost of which must be mentioned the risk of cold and destruction of clothes. The best pair of single-soled kid Balmoral boots that ever were made will not stand salt water many days — indeed would scarcely “come on” after being thoroughly wetted two or three times in succession — and the sea-weed collector who has to pick her way to save her boots will never be a loving disciple as long as she lives ! Any one, therefore, really intending to work in the matter, must lay aside for a time all thought of conventional appearances, and be content to support the weight of a pair of boy’s shooting boots, which, furthermore, should be rendered as far water-proof as possible by receiving a thin coat of neat’s-foot oil, such as is used by fishermen — a process well understood in most lodging-houses. It is true that sea-water does not usually give any one cold, but in sea-weed hunting, where there is so much standing and dawdling about, as well as walking, it is as well for beginners or delicate people not to be wet for any great length of time ; and as for the hardier hunters who have learned to walk boldly into a pool if they suspect there is anything worth having in the middle of it, they will oil their boots, for the simple reason that it is a mere waste of time to black and polish them ; for, polish as they will, a saline incrustation is sure to steal through at last. This advice cannot be enforced too strongly. It is both wasteful, uncomfortable, and dangerous to attempt sea-weed hunting in delicate boots. Wasteful, because a guinea pair will scarcely last a week. Uncomfortable, because to walk on some rocks in thin soles (the slate edges of those in Douglas Bay, for instance) is so painful, that it very soon becomes impossible. Dangerous, because you must be wetted through by the first bit of moist sand you come to, and it is not every one who would be justified in running the risk involved in this fact.

Next to boots comes the question of petticoats ; and if anything could excuse a woman for imitating the costume of a man, it would be what she suffers as a sea-weed collector from those necessary draperies ! But to make the best of a bad matter, let woollen be in the ascendant as much as possible; and let the petticoats never come below the ankle. A ladies’ yachting costume has come into fashion of late, which is, perhaps, as near perfection for shore-work as anything that could be devised. It is a suit consisting of a full short skirt of blue flannel or serge (like very fine bathing-gown material), with waistcoat and jacket to match. Cloaks and shawls, which necessarily hamper the arms, besides having long ends and corners which cannot

INTRODUCTION.

IX fail to get soaked, are, of course, very inconvenient, and should be as much avoided as possible; but where this cannot be, a good deal may be done towards tucking them neatly up out of the way. In conclusion, a hat is preferable to a bonnet, merino stockings to cotton ones, and a strong pair of gloves is indispensable. All millinery work — silks, satins, lace, bracelets, and other jewellery, &c. must, and wdll, be laid aside by every rational being who attempts to shore-hunt.

A stick was alluded to before, and is a very desirable appendage, both as a balance in rockclambering and for drawing floating sea-weeds from the water. It should have a crook for a handle therefore. But about these sort of matters, people should amuse themselves by devising ingenious varieties. The basket may be lined with gutta percha, or exchanged, by those who care to invest in it, for an Indian-rubber bag, which can be strapped round the waist, and into an inside pocket of which a bottle or two for the more delicate sea-weeds may be easily stowed away. But the common basket which has served the bygone generation will do very well for any one who is in earnest in this. Few tools come amiss to a good workman, and it argues a rather dilettante state of mind to insist on having everything the perfection of convenience. Into which question comes also that of expenditure ; and the reader is here assured, once for all, that it is quite possible to go shore-hunting for life quite comfortably without any extra expense whatever; that very strong-soled pair of boots perhaps alone excepted, and they will be found quite as useful in country walks afterwards, as on the sands.

Equipped, therefore, with as much woollen in the dress as possible, let us imagine a pair of friends starting for the shore. But they must never do so without ascertaining from more than one inquiry the real state of the tide. It sounds like a joke to say that a sea-weed collector should always order his dinner at high-tide hour, but the idea is a very good one, and, were there none but sea-weed collectors in a company, might be (under limits) carried out every day. Nevertheless, as there are plants well worth having, to be found near high-water mark, these can be looked for on the days when low-water occurs at dusk, or in the too early morning. All that is insisted upon here is, that no one should venture upon the shore among rocks, the ins-and-outs of which it needs long experience to understand, without ascertaining whether the tide is ebbing or flowing. A flowing tide often steals round the back of perhaps a pretty extensive fleld of low rocks instead of advancing straight over them, and in that case it is very easy to be surrounded before one is aware. A steady determination to wade and not be frightened is then the only resource ; but the evil is better avoided, and this can be done by a little care and watchfulness. Both are necessary, however, and no enthusiasm must cause this fact to be forgotten. A casually-overheard remark, that a certain bay in the Scilly Isles was “ deceitful,” induced a late visitor there to be more than usually vigilant, although it was impossible by looking over it to detect where the danger lay. But when the tide had flowed for about a couple of hours it became evident that it was making a circuit, following an unobserved lower level among the rocks, and that a considerable portion of the hunting-ground would presently be left an island ; high and dry itself for several hours probably, but not very easy to get away from, when climbing over boulders had to be combined with striding knee-deep in water. This was the Windmill Bay at St. Mary’s, Scilly; and it is but one case among hundreds, for even flat sand-bank shores are not safe without attention, as any one who knows Withernsea, near Hull, will bear witness. Enough, however, of warnings, lest people should be frayed from venturing on the shore at all ; whereas our hints are only intended to teach them to do it safely.

h

X

INTRODUCTION.

And once on the beach under the favourable circumstances of a fine day, a receding tide, sufficient refection in the basket to prevent an inglorious retreat for lack of food — what is the wdsest course to pursue? To go straight down at once to as low-water as the tide admits of, and so gradually follow its retreat ; or to indulge the very natural inclination to stop and gather the wash-up {wreck, or wrack) which may possibly be scattered at your feet? The answer depends upon circumstances, but, as a general rule, the first is decidedly the better plan for a sea-weed collector. Sunshine so quickly injures the greater number of the finer plants (fading them to yellow and white), that they are scarcely worth picking up after a few hours’ exposure. But if a rough sea has brought an unusually profuse and thick deposit, they are well worth a turn over or two from your stick just to see that you are not leaving pearls behind you unaware ; and if you are one of those who patronise zoophytes as well as algae, you are pretty sure to find something worth stopping a few minutes for. Very good zoophytes are sometimes washed up to the very last high-water mark line, an instance of which once occurred at Filey, where a layer of the scarce Thuiaria articulata was left round one side of the bay, close under the cliffs.

In such cases, of course, the bird-in-the-hand principle must come into play. You must not leave the certain good thing behind you, lest you lose it; for, find what you may afterwards, you will fret about the neglected treasure. Secure it, therefore, but hurry on afterwards ; and to beginners I would say. Go down to lower water at once.

And now, if you have to walk along the sands before reaching the rocks you purpose scrambling over, enjoy yourself thoroughly as you go, by keeping close to the sea ; never minding a few touches from the last gentle waves as they ripple over at your feet. Feel all the luxury of not having to be afraid of your boots ; neither of wetting nor destroying them. Feel all the comfort of walking steadily forward, the very strength of the soles making you tread firm — confident in yourself, and, let me add, in your dress. Verily we women are all, “more or less” (as sea-weed descriptions have it), at the mercy of our dress! It is an unpleasant truth, but a truth it is. Does it not require an actual effort of moral courage, for instance, to go to a dinner-party, when you know that you are by no means fresh from the hands of a milliner, but that other people are likely to be pre-eminently so ? Can even a sense (which shall be granted you) of some internal compensating superiority prevent you feeling a little — just a little! — abashed, or dashed,'' as the strong common phrase goes, by the consciousness that for you the last new moon’s “ Belle Assemblee” has been published in vain ? Take courage and admit the fact ! You may hate the particular fashion of the day ; disapprove of it as a matter of taste ; be quite aware that no artist, or, at all events, no high-art artist, would venture to disfigure his canvas by a representation of such Guy-dom. But yet

“ My Lord ! we women swim not with our hearts,

Nor yet our judgments, hut the world’s opinions.”

Well, well! “Pelham” said long ago that the world considered eccentricity in small things, folly ; in great ones, genius. So a woman is right in not dressing differently from the world’s opinion when she is in the world, if she can; and when she cannot she must bear the mortification like^ the heroine she is : for among women there are a good many heroines of whom the world knows nothing. But enough ! Enough, too, that if costumed as I have described, you, loving disciple, are, at any rate for once, conscious as you step along, that you are in the right

INTRODUCTION.

XI dress in the right place ; that you could not walk where you are now walking but for it; and tliat to walk where you are walking, makes you feel free, bold, joyous, monarch of all you survey, untrammelled, at ease, at home ! At home, though among all manner of strange, unknown creatures, flung at your feet every minute by the quick succeeding waves. Curiously fragile, paper-like, sea-urchins — you wonder if alive or dead — some mere empty cases, some heavy with the corpse within ; jelly- and star- fishes ; ridiculous little crabs, who find their legs at once, and trot hurriedly off ; and mixed with these, perhaps, the heavy body of a once-beautiful seagull, its life cut short by an idle shot ; and a thousand other things which must not be named or numbered here ; for, if you are a sea-weed collector only, you will not care to be troubled about sponges, zoophytes, or shells, nay, probably would not even notice them, for it is curious how the eye accustoms itself to see what it is searching after, and to ignore everything else. Any mother knows this who has walked down a wooded lane in spring with a schoolboy son. To her it is full of primroses, violets, and such matters ; to him of the birds’ nests which, even when pointed out, she can scarcely distinguish in the thick green hedge. “ None so blind as those who won’t see,” except, perhaps, those who are looking for something else.

But probably, as you proceed in your walk, you will observe that more and more sea-weeds are being left among the creatures on the sand, and, if so, by all means examine the nature of the wash-up before you pass on. If you see chiefly large lumps of the olive-coloured Fuci^ such as are figured in the first four Plates, you need not trouble yourself. Pursue your way. But if delicate little tufts, pink or brown, are lying about, secure a few of each sort as nearly as you can guess at them, before you proceed. The initiated will, of course, have a definite idea of what to gather in such a case, and so will you — and soon become one of them — if you will now on this first occasion keep your random gatherings by themselves, so that on your return you may notice what it was you picked up. It is possible that all your little tufts may be but one species — that very common Ceramium ruh-^m (Fig. 242), which is a sort of Paul Pry in sea-weed society, intruding himself everywhere in many varieties of appearance. Or they may be altogether a mass of another common thing, Plocamium coccineum (Fig. 178), for as it looks very pink as it lies, you would be certain to pick it up, were it there. And sea-weeds are so often torn from the rocks in shoals, that it is very common to find a quantity of specimens of one thing together ; and as only an experienced eye can detect a species as it lies in a lump on the sand, beginners are sure to pick up more of a kind than they want. No matter, however, for your first gatherings, if you do but observe them narrowly afterwards, and so take in a lesson of increased wisdom for next day.

Moreover, “ time and chance happeneth to all men,” and your very first day’s hunt may, by a happy accident, — waft actual treasures under your eyes. It is in vain to attempt to enumerate these, but let no very delicate hair-like tuft or flat pink plant escape you ; watch the wave that is throwing them ashore, and if it is for changing its mind and drawing them back, you must step in to the rescue and secure what looks to you the best, whether you wet your gloves,, boots, or even petticoat, or not ! And then push on, for if good things are astir in this manner you will get at them still more easily a little further down kneeling on some low rock for instance, in some sheltered corner which you must look for, where the water is tolerably quiet, and you can see your pretty prey floating, displayed to the best advantage, and dip in a bare arm to catch it at comfortable leisure.

And here men have certainly an advantage over women, for they can wade with impunity :

Xll

INTRODUCTION.

but never mind ; plenty can be done without it, if the loving disciple "will but have patience with the waves, use her stick cleverly to assist the nearing of the plants, and separate them so as to observe their forms as they approach. She will thus soon learn to know the fairy Callithamnion bushes (Plates LVI. to LIX.) from everything else, and will push aside the coarser Paul Pry, Ceramium ruhrum, for their more refined tufts ; nay, could scarcely fail to recognise Chrysymenia rosea (now Chylocladia rosea^ see Fig. 142) itself, even at first sight. But patience and enjoyment must go hand in hand here. To stoop down once or twice and then be weary, will not do. You must kneel, or sit, or recline on the rock, and fairly gaze on into the water as the waves waft the plants up and down. And if you have got into a good place, i. e. under shelter, and where fresh things are coming in, half an hour will scarcely be too much to remain, unless the tide is ebbing, in which case you must follow it to the next convenient resting-place.

Of course, to gather a plant growing is the orthodox perfection of sea-weed discovery, but these hints are especially intended for the comfort of the sisterhood who are hampered both in wading and climbing. And they may rest assured that some of the rarest and loveliest plants may be caught in the manner above described, and often as perfect and uninjured as if careful hands instead of reckless waves had detached them from the rocks. The truth is, the scarce low-water plants are apt to haunt very inaccessible places ; places, too, where the roaring of breakers is so near at hand, and the standing ground so wet with spray, that a strong mental effort is necessary to keep the nerves and feet steady, even after the difficulties of getting there are surmounted. Not that the spot is unsafe for any one who is sure of a continuous selfcommand ; but invalids sometimes become sea-weed collectors, and it would be madness to counsel women indiscriminately to be strong-minded above their condition. People can, however, do at one time what they cannot at another ; and wfith a male companion to lend a hand and infuse a sense of security, a very eerie hunting-ground may be sometimes ventured upon ; yea, even within the splash and uproar of such heavy dark green waves as beat against the north side of Filey Bridge, the place of all others to which the above remarks specially refer. But unprotected females” have no business to be running risks for the sake of “vile sea-weeds and, for their consolation be it known, that although that bewitching Chrysymenia rosea lurks in just such fearful corners, only attainable at spring-tides, and only uncovered then for a very short time, yet as fine a specimen as has ever been found of it was floated into a shallow tide-pool that formed round a large stone on the sands of Filey Bay !

But having said thus much for the happy chances which often attend zcrec^-gathering, as distinguished from roc^-gathering, it is fair to add, that all low-water hunting-ground is not of the same inaccessible character. In flat open bays and shores, with rock-fields of moderate height, you have only to look out for not being surrounded by back-water, and may, if you are indifferent to noise and dreariness, prowl up and down the fruitful wet lanes that lie between the different masses, to your heart’s content. Of this kind is the glorious coast to the north of Berwick-upon-Tweed, where hundreds of collectors might work together without ever interfering with each other, so great is its extent ; and where, when beaten back by the tide, you find extensive upper caves, into whose shadowy pools the wreck has been floated unscathed and unfaded, and where you may pick it out for another hour or two longer. Into these caves come from time to time the tiny fronds of the scarce Rhodyinenia cristata (now Euthora cristata, Fig. 184)^ as dear to an algologist’s eye as a nugget of gold.

INTRODUCTION.

Xlll

And somewhat of the same character (the caves excepted) is Gristhorpe Bay, between Scarborough and Filey, where (all but back-water) the only risk you can run, is of slipping by a false step into some of the enormous pools with which it abounds, and which are deep, though not always dangerously so. But there are such things as happy accidents, and it was a tumble into one of these sea-weed repositories which a few years ago revealed the then rather surprising fact, that the whole bottom of the pool was lined with fine large plants of Odonthalia dentata (Fig. 99) ; a species at one time supposed to flourish no farther south than the county of Durham. A “happy accident” this, were it only for the assurance it gives of how much remains to be done in the exploration of different localities !

But even in reflecting upon the best and easiest shores, such as the choice one of Douglas Ba}^, Isle of Man, for instance, it must be owned that a low-water-mark expedition is more comfortably undertaken under the protection of a gentleman. He may fossilize, or sketch, or even (if he will be savage and barbaric) shoot gulls, though one had rather not ; but no need, anyhow, to involve him in the messing after what he may consider “ rubbish;” unless, happily, he be inclined to assist.

Meanwhile let the loving disciple who cannot obtain such help, take things easy. It is a fine thing to get as far as you can, of course; but she will do sufficiently well, as has been showm, without straining the point. We could whisper to her of a shore and pools at St. Mary’s, Scilly, where, without running into hazards or among Laminaria plants, she may deck herself over from top to toe with the crimson fronds of Rhodymenia laciniata (now Callophyllis laciniata, Fig. 179) and Kallymenia reniformis (Fig. 215), or the lighter rose-coloured ones of Nitopliyllums Hilliw punctatum (Figs. 175, 174); even as the robins covered over the babes in the wood with leaves ! And really, as a general rule, it would be scarcely possible to say that she has less chance of success in “ treasure trove” from wreck-gathering on the shore, than more adventurous labourers from low-water-mark researches.

The long mass of rocks called Filey Bridge has been already mentioned ; and one of its peculiarities, namely, its various levels, leads to a subject to which the attention of collectors should be directed ; that is, the zone vegetation of the sea. By which is meant that certain particular plants, and even classes of plants, affect certain depths or levels of the sea. Thus, for instance, one may say generally that the grass-green ones inhabit the upper range or zone, and that the red prefer the lower, while different forms of the olive-coloured flourish the whole way through. In the following descriptions this point is always noticed ; and it will be observed that, while some species confine themselves exclusively to one situation, others are to be found anywhere “ betw^een tide-marks ;” varying, however, considerably in colour and even character of growth in different situations; the red ones always pale and discoloured near the higher zone. Thus, in upper pools, our friend Ceramium /-wJnm will be found a dirty stone- colour ; in deep ones, a fine red.

Among those which maintain an unvarying position is the large Tangle or Oar-weed, Laminaria digitata (Fig. 24). It is never met with but at extreme tide-limits, where some of its broad, leather-like fronds may be seen darkly overhanging the rocks, while others, a little lower down, are rising and dipping in the water like sea-serpents floated by the waves. If ever you find yourself astray among Laminarias, therefore, you may conclude at once where you are, according to algological geography; namely, at extreme low-water mark ; or, in other words, in the Laminarian zone. And, being there, it behoves you to remember that you may expect to

INTRODUCTION.

find all manner of good things growing in the neighbourhood, seeing that the finest red seaweeds also love this deep water. Not that you must expect to see this lower region a fairy land of rosy colour, remember — often not half as much so as a wreck-scattered shore like that at St. Mary’s. A delusion on this subject is encouraged by picture-books, from which the loving disciple must awake. Few red plants are as bright when growing as when laid out, though this rule, like all others, has its exceptions ; but it is true of most of the species which afterwards prove so brilliant. Delesseria sanguinea^ for instance (now Wormskioldia sanguinea^ Fig. 169), does not acquire its fine cactus-hue till after it has been exposed for an hour or two to the air ; and Dasya coccinea (Fig. 135), and Plocamium coccineum (Fig. 178), take a longer time still before they change from their original reddish brown to the cochineal tint their name implies. To find the former plant, therefore, you must look out for a delicately transparent and exquisitely formed leaf, rather than expect to be guided to it at once by a startling blaze of colour.

Besides all which, the beauties, whether bright or dingy, often hide; and you will have to inspect the sides of the rocks most carefully, lifting up the great tangle plants to peep underneath them, if you would hope to see anything worth having. The most lovely of Callithamnions looks but a miserable little dab of pinkish mud, as you see it on a rock when the tide has left it, for how can it float and show itself there ? And it is only by knowing . and practically believing that everything is so??iething, that you are preserved from passing by many such minute valuables in such situations.