NO. 1 TAYLOR: PACIFIC MARINE ALGAE 3 



EQUIPMENT 



On the two expeditions here reported, the writer as botanist repre- 

 senting the University of Michigan brought with him thence all portable 

 equipment. This consisted of the customary plant presses, ventilators, 

 papers, glassware, mounting pans and zinc sheets, and all minor supplies. 

 The ship's engineers constructed for botanical use two excellent drying 

 racks which, electrically heated, circulated warm air through the presses 

 and enabled material to be processed in 12-24 hours, seldom needing more. 

 The ship was already amply fitted for dredging^ even beyond the depth 

 to which algae grew, and one of the launches equally adapted for use in 

 shallower water. It is not the writer's purpose here to describe the hand- 

 ling of algal material in detail; with obvious adaptations to a tropical 

 environment the necessary directions are those outlined by him earlier 

 (Taylor 1937, pp. 9-18). 



In general, tropical material is rather less quick to decay than northern 

 material, but like it, should be kept in the shade with adequate water or 

 aeration, and as cool as possible. It can, if immediate care is impossible, 

 safely be stored in the ship's refrigerators, so long as it is not frozen. Mate- 

 rial bruised by dredging, and especially material from deep and so veiy 

 cold water, is liable to spoil rapidly and should be mounted without de- 

 lay, or stored in the icebox. It is rarely possible to bottle each species sepa- 

 rately, but it is advantageous, for each station, to put in one jar of preserv- 

 ative representative portions of all especially interesting types. These must 

 have a particularly durable label written with soft pencil on good rag paper 

 enclosed with the specimen. If the latter is rough or attached to shells or 

 stones, the label must be protected from defacement. While not necessary 

 on these trips, the writer has many times received excellent bulk material 

 stored in 5-gallon kerosene tins soldered shut, and later crated for ship- 

 ment. This is particularly suited for scientific expeditions operating from 

 the shore, but is good for shipboard use also. The best preservative for 

 algae is 4 per cent formaldehyde in sea water neutralized with a little 

 borax, provided the specimens can be kept from strong light. 



1 For description and illustrations of dredging equipment and practice see 

 Fraser 1943a, especially pis. 5, 6, 12-14. 



