of Natura I History. 1 53 



" After these general remarks, I will now offer some observations re- 

 lating to several genera and species, following the order in which they 

 are arranged in the English Flora. 



" I believe all the species belonging to the Fueoidese are to be dried in 

 the manner of land plants, after having been previously steeped for 

 some time in fresh water to extract their salt and mucilage. Cystoseira 

 granulata, which I have repeatedly found on the Larne shore, will 

 adhere imperfectly if spread in water, but it is best treated as a land 

 plant, to be afterwards fixed with mucilage. Halidrys siliquosa, Fucus 

 vesiculosus, and F. nodosus require very heavy pressure. The air-vesicles 

 of the first may be in part cut longitudinally to show the internal parti- 

 tions, and of the two last, to diminish their diameter, but this must be 

 done after they are dried, for if done in the recent state they contract 

 and become disfigured." 



A very important part in the art of preserving marine plants is to 

 prune luxuriant specimens, especially such as without this would ap- 

 pear confused and unsightly, but some care is required to prevent the 

 removal of parts on which the character of the species depend; some 

 shrink by exposure to the air, but packed up under gentle pressure, they 

 retain their form, and even when shrunken or dried badly at first, they 

 may be restored to shape by moisture. When collected dry on the 

 beach some are so rolled that they cannot be unfolded, and in that 

 state are nearly useless ; some are so thin as to dry readily, and others 

 if steeped in fresh water give out their colouring matter and become 

 changed in appearance. We should think the thick soft paper manu- 

 factured at Serampore would answer admirably for preserving marine 

 plants. With regard to land plants no instructions are required. 



The only way of preserving animals is by putting them into spirits. 

 This may be conveniently practised with all the smaller fishes, reptiles, 

 birds and mammals, all insects expect Lepidoptera, most of the mol- 

 luscs and annulose animals may likewise be preserved in spirits ; of the 

 Radiata, the Echinodermata alone are to be preserved in any form, but 

 of these the several kind of star fish and sea eggs are very easily collec- 

 ted and preserved, either in spirits or in a dry state. 



The skins of the larger mammalia, birds, and fishes, can only be preserv- 

 ed ; all the wild species of every class of animals from China and Japan 

 are objects of scientific interest. The pipe fishes and sea horses (Syng- 

 nathus and Hypocampus) and the cuttle fishes of all kinds, especially 

 the Calamary from which the China ink is manufactured are objects of 

 especial interest, as well as the fresh water fishes of China. The extent 

 and nature of the trade in the Manilla red fish, as well as specimens 

 and the method of preserving and taking the fish, would be interesting. 



Should room be scarce as well as paper for drying specimens in the 

 ordinary way, the fruits and flowers of plants, with a small portion of 

 the stem and leaves adhering, may be put into spirits. 



Animals, such as fish, serpents, insects, squirrels, bats, &c. do not 



X 



