PRESERVATION OF SEAWEED COLLECTIONS 



HEN the day's collecting has been completed the speci- 

 mens should be preserved as quickly as possible to 

 prevent unnecessary deterioration. This is best ac- 

 compHshed at the shore by means of one or more 

 five-gallon tin cans. Sea water should be brought up 

 in a bucket and mixed with commercial 40% formal- 

 dehyde to obtain approximately a 3% solution. The 

 various plastic bags into which specimens have been separated may 

 then be partly filled with the preservative and tied. These bags, to- 

 gether with bulkier materials as well as small bottles of specimens 

 may all be placed in the can in preservative and provided with an 

 appropriate label. The tin of specimens may be closed and kept for 

 months without deterioration of the specimens or loss of color, while 

 the same specimens kept in glass jars exposed to hght would be 

 bleached and largely worthless in a few 

 days. The tin may, indeed, be sealed with 

 solder and boxed for shipment with ease 

 and without fear of damage to the con- 

 tents. 



Of utmost importance in the preparation 

 of any collection is the provision of ade- 

 quate field data in the field collection 

 notebook, and the careful preparation of 

 labels. For this purpose all pertinent ob- 

 servations on the character of the habi- 

 tat, size and aspect of the various domi- 

 nant species, the major associations, water 

 temperature, substrate type, exposure, etc., 

 should be recorded before leaving the field. 

 These data should be incorporated in the 

 permanent book of field notes, in which a 

 consecutive series of collection numbers is 

 tabulated. 



Upon return to the laboratory the prep- 

 aration of specimens may begin at once, 

 although it is preferable to leave the ma- 

 terial in preservative for a few days time. 

 This applies particularly to certain species 

 which when fresh are damaged by being 

 immersed in tap water, but which are not 



harmed by the same treatment after having remained a few days or 

 weeks in the formalin- sea water solution. 



A Dredge. 



10 



