28 SEA MOSSES. 



until most of the water in them has evaporated, 

 but not till they have become hard, stiff and brittle. 

 Then I put them between sheets of drying paper 

 and lay them in the press, and keep them there 

 until the process of drying is complete. A little 

 practice will be the only way by which you will 

 learn how to tell if they have been dried long 

 enough in the open air. If you find them inclined 

 to mould while kept in the press, you may be sure 

 they are not dry enough ; throw them away and get 

 some new ones. 



It is sometimes desirable to keep the treasures 

 we have gathered from the sea unmounted, that we 

 may carry them away to await a more convenient 

 season for floating them out, or that we may send 

 them to some friend or correspondent on the other 

 side of the continent or beyond the seas. It is, 

 therefore, fortunate that all but the more delicate 

 and perishable of these plants may be dried rough ; 

 rolled up, and kept any length of time ; transported 

 round the world ; and then, when put in water 

 again, will come out in half an hour, as fresh and 

 bright and supple and graceful as they were when 

 taken from their briny home. The friend just 

 now referred to assures me that even the Callithavi- 

 fiia, DasycB, and the most delicate Poly sipho nice, and 



