Then you can walk out, under the water, and explore the forests
of the sea.
Down by the line of low tide, before you have waded up to your knees,
you find plants clinging to the rocks. They cover them with a slippery
coat of green; when you turn these Sea-weeds over you find periwinkles
and other animals feeding or hiding. Sea-weed makes good "cover" for the
creatures of the rock-pools, who have many enemies to fear.
You notice that most of these shore weeds are green, sometimes as green
as young grass. Pull up a bunch of the weed, and you find that it clings
to the rocks and stones, but has no real roots. Seaweeds belong to a
humble family in the world of plants, having no real roots, no flowers,
and no real seeds. They can attach themselves to the stones or rocks.
Along comes a great wave, and perhaps they are torn up; but this does
not harm them, for they still live as they wash to and fro in the water,
until they cling to another rock. Or they are thrown on the shore to
die, or else to be washed back to sea by the next tide.
[Illustration: SEA-WEED FROND.]
The Sea Lettuce or Green Laver is a common seaweed near the shore.
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