HOW TO KNOW THE SEAWEEDS 



It will be found most convenient to obtain one or more large por- 

 celain trays and a number of wide-mouthed jars of various sizes into 

 which to sort the specimens. After quickly washing with top water 

 the various species should be separated into the jars, each species 

 receiving a number which is Usted in the field notebook beneath the 

 field data previously recorded. Of each of the species, especially 

 the smaller or more delicate forms, appropriate portions should be 

 placed in small vials (4 dram shell vials) for future use in making 

 preparations for microscopic examination. These, of course, also re- 

 ceive in each case the same field number assigned to the remaining 

 material of a given species. 



After the segregation of all of the species into separate containers 

 the drying may begin. Two methods may be employed depending 

 upon the nature of the specimens. Crustose specimens which have 

 been brought from the shore along with pieces of their substrate may 

 be dried directly in the air and preserved in the dry state in small 

 boxes of suitable size. Articulated, calcareous algae which are so 

 fragile and (or) so three dimensional as to suffer badly from pressing, 

 should be treated in the same way, or, preferably, soaked for several 

 days or weeks in a solution of about 40% glycerine in 3% formalin 

 before being dried and placed in the small boxes. Most of the re- 

 mainder of the algae may be dried in a standard plant press. 



Inasmuch as the algal specimens should ultimately be mounted on 

 standard 11^2 by 16 Va herbarium paper,i whole sheets or suitably 

 sized pieces of this paper may be used for the next step which is the 

 backing of the specimen as it is floated out for drying. 



Mounting may best be done in a broad, shallow tray large enough 

 to accommodate a full size herbarium sheet. The sheet of paper to be 

 used in each instance should be immersed in water in the bottom of 

 the tray. The water should be of the least depth suitable for floating 

 out the particular specimen at hand and spreading it on the paper. 

 After the plant has been spread out in a natural appearing manner on 

 its suitably sized sheet in the water tray, the sheet should be lifted 

 carefully from one side to allow the water to drain off gradually and 

 to leave the specimen spread out and undisturbed on the sheet. A 

 device for affecting this drainage may be made from a piece of gal- 

 vanized sheet metal by bending down the corners to form short legs. 

 These will permit the middle to be depressed shghtly for spreading a 

 specimen and released to allow the water to drain off evenly. 



1. This and other herbarium supplies, press materials, paste, packets, etc., may 

 be obtained from herbarium supply houses such as Bonestell & Company, San Francisco, 

 California; General Biological Supply House, 8200 South Hayne Ave., Chicago 20, III., 

 or Ward's Natural Science Establishment, 3000 Ridge Road East, Rochester 9, N. Y. 



II 



