368 BRITISH SEA-WEEDS. 



water. A staff with a crooked head is not a bad accom- 

 paniment. Thus accoutred, let him proceed to the shore 

 at ebb-tide, and examine the reject amenta cast out by the 

 sea, turning them over with his staff, that no newly-buried 

 beauty may be allowed to perish. Let him then carefully 

 examine the Algse growing on the uncovered rocks, ex- 

 tending tlie investigation to those rocks or stones that are 

 still partly under the waves. When the tide is turned, and 

 begins to flow,, fine weeds may often be got floating in little 

 bays, or where currents betwixt rocks are formed. These 

 may be very easily caught by the weed-gatherer^s staff. 



When the vasculum is filled, or the time is up, or the 

 collector tired, let the spoils of the sea be carefully examined 

 when he reaches home. There will be much uncertainty in 

 manv cases as to the contents of the vasculum, or oil-skin 

 bag, till they are floated and spread out on paper. Then 

 it is that there is scope for fine taste, and for the delicate 

 manipulation of ladies' fingers; nature must be consulted as 

 the sure instructress for laying out the specimens in the 

 most graceful manner. Place on the table a basin of fresh 

 water, to cleanse the weeds from sand or any impurity. 

 Let only a small portion of the mass at a time be put into 

 the basin, as many species begin to decompose when placed 

 in fresh water. If the specimens are of large size, they may, 



