152 Directions for preserving Sea Plants. 



specimens I preserved in June at Cairnlough is 5| inches long from 

 the commencement of its lamina from the footstalk to the point, and 

 is 7 inches broad ; another is 51 inches long^, and 7| broad; and a third, 

 6i inches long, and somewhat more than 7 in breadth. The ciliary 

 fructification is the most common, but the capsular is also frequent in 

 the summer. Nothing can be more easy than to preserve this in the 

 common way. 



Delesseria alata.- — This is also very easily put up, and, like most of 

 the garnet red ones, its colour is brightened by long maceration in 

 fresh water. It grows very luxuriantly on the Antrim coast. 



Delesseria hypoglossum. — Tolerably frequent. The effect of fresh 

 water on this species is almost instantaneous. When recent it has 

 considerable rigidity, and a large variety, of which I found several spe- 

 cimens at Cairnlough Bay, and which at first sight I could scarcely re- 

 cognize as being this species, was firm and cartilaginous, but after be- 

 ing in the fresh water for a few minutes was perfectly flaccid, and its 

 colour changing rapidly from garnet to orange-red. It may be pre- 

 served iiv the common way without any trouble, and adheres closely 

 to paper. The same may be remarked of Z). ruscifolia, which is much 

 more rare. 



Notophyllum punctaium. — I found little of it this season. It also, 

 when perfectly recent, is of a garnet red, and is as rigid as silk paper 

 to the touch. When dipped in fresh water it emits a crackling noise^ 

 turns rapidly to a rosy orange tint, grows extremely flaccid, and 

 gives out a large quantity of pink colouring-matter. It is so very- 

 thin that it dries rapidly, and requires no particular precautions. 



Notophyllum laceratum. — Common, rigid when recent, becomes 

 flaccid in fresh water, but is not otherwise changed, dries easily. 



Rhodomenia laciniata. — Abundant, and often very large ; is not 

 altered by fresh water, except that it becomes less rigid, and more 

 easily spread after some hours maceration. It is best to change the 

 papers frequently during its desiccation, as it sometimes adheres when 

 this is neglected. I preserved a single specimen at Larne in July, 

 which was so large that I was obliged to separate it into portions, 

 and spread it on four folio leaves, the dimensions of which are as fol- 

 low : — Specimen on first leaf 1\ inches from base to top ; 14 inches 

 in breadth ; specimen on second leaf 1\ inches high, and 12^ broad ; 

 specimen on third leaf 7 inches high, and 91 broad ; specimen on 

 fourth leaf, five portions of the frond occupying the greater part 

 of it. 



Rhodomenia ciliata. — This species is very rare on the Antrim 



