t) U. S. BUREAU OF FISHERIES. 



coast from the shores of San Luis Obispo County southward and 

 on the west coast of Lower California. 



The amount of dry gehitin which can be extracted from this spe- 

 cies is from 40 to 45 per cent of its weipjht when dried in the sun 

 and air, and the quality seems to be equal to that of the best agar- 

 agar. * 



A 2 per cent solution of this dried extract will form a hard elastic 

 gel with a smooth surface which remains firm at temperatures below 

 50° C. Furthermore, when in hot solution it has a comparatively 

 low viscosity, and hence can be filtered and clarified with little 

 difficulty. 



To get a pure, translucent extract it is necessary to beat the dry 

 seaweed, wash it in fresh water, and dry it in direct sunlight daily 

 for a week or more. Rain apparently does not harm but rather 

 helps not onW in the bleaching process but in the extraction of the 

 undesirable soluble matter. A thorough washing in fresh water be- 

 fore extraction begins will result in making the final product of best 

 quality. A sample of this extract was tested at the Army Medical 

 School and pronounced a satisfactory substitute for the imported 

 agar-agar. 



GELiDiu:\r a:mansii. 



A small quantity of Gelidiu7n amansii was found mixed in with 

 the sample of G. cartilagineum received from the Pacific coast. This 

 was sufficient for one test only, which yielded 28.93 per cent dry 

 gelatin calculated on the weight of the sundried weed. 



The properties of this extract are very similar to that of the pre- 

 ceding species and agar-agar. A 2 per cent solution makes a hard, 

 elastic jelly as good as that prepared from regular agar. A sample 

 of the jelly placed on a water bath remained hard at 58° C. and did 

 not begin to liquefy until it had reached a temperature of 76° C. 



A single fat determination made by the Soxhlet method gave 

 0.195 per cent, which means that the weed is practically fat free. 



GELIDIUM AUSTRALE. 



Two small samples of GeUdium (mMraJe which were extracted 

 yielded 32.3 per cent and 37.5 per cent of dry gelatin, respectivel5^ 

 The fat content of water-free samples varied between 0.25 per cent 

 and 0.405 per cent. 



A 2 per cent solution makes a firm gel, but since it becomes soft 

 and mushy at 40° C. it is an unsatisfactory substitute for agar-agar. 

 It may, however, prove to be a valuable product for such purposes as 

 carrageenin is now used. 



ENDOCLADIA MURICATA. 



Another seaweed from the California coast which readily yielded 

 a large supply of gelatinous extract is Endocladia rtiuricata. It yields 

 from 37.5 to 48 per cent of gelatin. 



The properties of the Endocladia jelly are much like that of the 

 Irish moss, in that it is very viscous when hot, rather soft when 

 cold, and has a low melting point. This renders it unfit for use as a 

 substitute for agar-agar. As a size or an ingredient of water paints 



