THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION. 117 



siderably in drying, and most will have changed color more or less, 

 and the bundle have become very unsightly ; nevertheless, if thor- 

 oughly dried, to prevent mouldiness or heating, and packed loosely, 

 such specimens will continue for a long time in a perfectly sound 

 state ; and on being re-moistened and properly pressed, will make 

 excellent cabinet specimens. 



It is very much better, when drying Algre in this rough manner, 

 not to wash them in fresh water, because the salt they contain serves 

 to keep them in a pliable state, and causes them to imbibe water more 

 readily on re-immersion. All large and coarse growing Alga3 may 

 be put up in this manner, and afterwards, at leisure, prepared for the 

 herbarium by washing, steeping, pressing, and drying between folds 

 of soft paper, in the same way that land plants are pressed and dried. 

 But with the membranous and gelatinous kinds, a different method 

 must be adopted. 



The smaller and more delicate Algae must be prepared for the her- 

 barium as soon as practicable after being brought from the shore. 

 The mode of preparation is as follows, and, after a few trials and with 

 a little care, will soon be learned. 



The collector should be provided with three flat dishes or large 

 deep plates, and one or two shallower plates. One of the deep plates 

 is to be filled with sea-water, and the other two with fresh water. In 

 the dish of sea-water the stock of specimens to be laid out may be 

 kept. A specimen taken from the stock is then introduced into one 

 of the plates of fresh water, washed to get rid of dirt or parasites 

 that may infest it, and pruned or divided into several pieces, if the 

 branches be too dense, or the plant too tufted, to allow the branches 

 to lie apart when the specimen is displayed on paper. The washed 

 and pruned specimens are then floated in the second dish until a con- 

 siderable number are ready for laying down. They are then removed 

 separately into one of the shallower plates, that must be kept filled 

 with clean water ; in which they are floated and made to expand fully. 

 Next, a piece of white paper of suitable size is carefully introduced 

 under the expanded specimen. The paper then, with the specimen 

 remaining displayed upon it, is cautiously brought to the surface of 

 the water, and gently and carefully drawn out, so as not to disarrange 

 the branches. A forceps, a porcupine's quill, a knitting needle, or 

 an etching tool, or any finely pointed instrument will assist the ope- 

 rator in displaying the branches and keeping them separate while 

 the plant is lifted from the water ; and should any branch become 

 matted in the removal, a little water dropped from a spoon over the 

 tangled portion, and the help of the finely pointed tool, will restore 

 it. 



The piece of wet paper with the specimen upon it is to be laid on 

 a sheet of soft soaking paper, and others laid by its side until the 

 sheet is covered. A piece of thin calico or muslin, as^ large as the 

 sheet of soaking paper, is then spread over the wet specimens. More 

 soaking paper, and another set of specimens covered with cotton, are 

 laid on these ; and so a bundle is gradually raised. This bundle, con- 

 sisting of sheets of specimens, is then placed between flat boards, 

 under moderate pressure, and left for some hours. It must then be 



