20 RAMBLES AND REVERIES. 



first they are of irregular shapes, but they gradually 

 become spheroidal. They then congregate into a 

 dense mass in the centre of the cell, and a move- 

 ment, aptly compared to that of the swarming of 

 bees round their queen, begins to take place. One 

 by one these active granules detach themselves from 

 the swarm, and move about in the vacant space of 

 the cell with great vivacity. Continually pushing 

 against the sides of the cell-wall, they at length 

 pierce it, and issue from their prison into the sur- 

 rounding fluid, when their seemingly spontaneous 

 movements are continued for some time. The vi- 

 vacious granules, or zoospores, at length become 

 fixed to some submerged object, where they soon 

 begin to develop cells, and at length grow into algse 

 similar to those from whose cells they issued." 



Not much need be said as to the apparatus for 

 collecting and mounting seaweeds. An old knife 

 and a few bottles for the more delicate species, 

 with some sort of vasculum or satchel for the larger 

 kinds, are all that will be required. The collector 

 must not be above going bare-footed into the water 

 now and then, unless he is provided with a pair 

 of strong knee-boots ; for beyond where the lowest 

 tide leaves its line of sea-wrack may be found many 

 rare and choice specimens. At the same time, the 

 drift that lies over all those parts of the shore that 

 have been covered by the tide will well repay 

 scrutiny. 



As soon as convenient the specimens should be 

 well washed in fresh water ; floated on to paper 

 with careful fingers, helped, in the case of delicate 



