COLLECTING 15 



corresponding with the note-book. Names written with lead- 

 pencil on a slip of paper will not be defaced by or injure the 

 alcohol. Collections when arranged permanently should be 

 placed in glass jars, the species being kept separate. 



COLLECTING AND PRESERVING SEAWEEDS 



To collect seaweeds one must search for them, on rocks, in 

 tide-pools, in the sea-wrack upon the beach, on piles of wharves, 

 on eel-grass, and on the surface of incoming waves. It is well to 

 follow the receding tide and take advantage of its lowest ebb 

 (especially of that of the spring-tides, as mentioned above) to 

 search the extreme limit of the beach in the short time it is 

 exposed. Many of the red seaweeds are found there. 



The equipment for collecting consists of a basket, two small 

 tin pails, one small enough to be carried within the other, a staff 

 with an iron edge at one end and a small net at the other, and a 

 pocket-lens. Rockweeds (Fucus) or other coarse gelatinous sea- 

 weeds should be put into the basket. The pails, half filled with 

 sea-water, will receive the other specimens, fine and delicate algae 

 being put into the smaller pail. It is well to have a second small 

 receptacle for Callithanmion and Griffithsia, if one can be further 

 burdened. Desmarestia should be kept apart, if possible, since it 

 discolors and decomposes other algae; it should also have the 

 earliest attention when the time comes for mounting, and salt 

 water should be used for floating it upon the mount, otherwise 

 the beauty of the specimen will be impaired. 



Besides its use as a support, the staff is needed to dislodge- 

 specimens from the rocks, and the net to secure those that are 

 floating just out of reach. When possible, it is desirable to secure 

 the whole plant, including the holdfast, and to gather several 

 plants of the same species, since they vary with age and other 

 conditions, and it is also well to have duplicates for exchange. 

 It is particularly desirable to obtain plants which are in fruit. 

 Each specimen as it is taken should be rinsed in the sea-water to 

 free it from sand. 



Collections should be mounted as soon as convenient, and 



