■156 THE PLANTS 



material. A good canvas or rubber bag, with a flap 

 for closing the mouth, and a broad strap for the 

 shoulder ; a basket ; a canvas pail ; or a large net with 

 straps, are all very useful implements, out of which one 

 may be chosen according to the collector's tastes. It 

 is also very desirable to have some bottles with pre- 

 serving fluids. To carry these we used a zinc box 

 (Fig. 73), 35 centimetres long, 25 centimetres high, 

 and 11 centimetres broad ; it was a little concave on 

 the side turned towards the body of the bearer. Inside 

 it contained, at some distance from the bottom, a 

 stand for loose bottles of various sizes. 



Specimens for drying may be wrapped at once in 

 newspaper, a large quantity of which should form part 

 of a collector's outfit. 



A knife, well anointed with vaseline to prevent 

 rusting, and a fairly powerful pocket lens, are abso- 

 lutely essential. A spoon or a pair of small forceps 

 are of service in gathering from rocks small gregarious 

 algae, and a small geological hammer and chisel are 

 necessary if occasion arises to collect encrusting species 

 growing on rocks. A pair of fisherman's boots with 

 extensible legs reaching to the hips are necessary for 

 wading in temperate seas ; ladies will do well to dress 

 in a rather heavy skirt of pure wool, and high boots ; in 

 the tropics a bathing-costume of thin woollen material 

 will be the thing for ladies, but care should be taken 

 to protect the feet against the spines of sea-urchins 

 or the rough surface of coral reefs. In some localities it 

 will be safer for the collector to go out with a rope 

 round the waist, held tight by friends in a safe position, 

 on account of treacherous holes in the rocks and reefs ; 

 in others the waves may, at the turn of the tide, run 

 in so suddenly and violently that danger of getting 

 drowned is imminent if proper care is not taken. Col- 



