152 Directions for preserving Marine Objects 



than old newspapers, each divided into eight parts, but it is necessary to 

 have a large supply of these. 



" The beautiful and common Ploeamium coccineum is one of the most easi- 

 ly preserved species, and may be taken as an example of the mode of pro- 

 ceeding with most of the others. The steps to be pursued are as follow. — 



" 1. The specimen is to be perfectly well cleaned. 



" 2. A dinner-dish to be filled about two-thirds with clean fresh water. 



" 3. The paper on which the specimens is to be spread, to be im- 

 mersed in the water in the dish. 



" 4. The specimen to be then placed on the paper, and spread out by 

 means of the probe and camel-hair pencil. 



" 5. The paper with the specimen on it to be then slowly withdrawn 

 from the dish, sliding it over its edge. 



" 6. The paper with the specimen adhering to it, to be held up by one 

 corner for a minute or two, to drain off the water. 



" 7. To be then laid on paper, or cloth, upon a table, and the super- 

 fluous water still remaining to be removed by repeated pressure of 

 blotting-paper upon the specimen, beginning this operation at the edges, 

 and gradually encroaching towards the centre till the whole can be 

 pressed upon without danger of any part adhering to the blotting-paper, 

 which probably would be the case, were the latter applied at once to 

 the whole specimen. 



"S. The specimen then to be laid on a couple of drying papers placed 

 on the carpet or a table ; two more papers to be laid over it, and then 

 the piece of board, on which latter a few books are to be put, to give 

 the necessary pressure. 



" 9. These papers to be changed every half hour or oftener, till the 

 specimen is sufficiently dry. (A number of specimens with drying papers 

 interposed, may be pressed at once under the same board.) 



" Though the above method is in general the best, yet there are various 

 species, and among these the Ploeamium coccineum itself, which dry per- 

 fectly well by simple exposure to the open air without pressure being 

 had recourse to at all; and some can only be preserved in the latter 

 way, being so glutinous that they will adhere as strongly to the drying 

 paper laid over them as to that on which they are spread. Pressure 

 however, is necessary after they have dried, for the purpose of flatten- 

 ing them.* 



* An indispensable requisite in the drying of marine or fresh water algae is a 

 portion of old rag, neither of a quality too fine or too coarse. When the specimen 

 has been spread, as directed, upon the paper on which it is to remain, a piece of 

 rag sufficient to cover it should be laid over, and then it may be interleaved under 

 the boards for pressure. The rag prevents the necessity of so much care in taking 

 up the moisture as Mr. Drummond requires, never adheres to the specimens, but 

 when dry, leaves them, while most of the plants themselves stick firmly to the 

 sheets on which they have been spread. — Eds. 



