16 INTRODUCTION 
especial care in this respect should be taken with red alge, as 
they decompose quickly. The requisites for mounting are 
blotters, pieces of muslin, two or more smooth boards, weights, 
a basin, and several shallow dishes containing water. Fresh 
water has a strong action on the color and substance of seaweeds, 
and specimens should not be left in it for any length of time. 
Lift a specimen from the general collection, and in a basin of 
deep water carefully wash off all superfluous matter ; then place 
it in shallow water and spread it out, trimming it snilteiauiely, SO 
that when mounted it will not be too thick and the characteris- 
tics be hidden. Specimens are more interesting and their species 
more easily determined when laid out rather thin, showing their 
branching and fruit. After the specimen is thus prepared, place 
it in a second shallow dish of water. It should now be perfectly 
clean. Float it out into the desired position, spreading it well, 
letting some parts show the details of the branching, and other 
parts the general natural effect of the mass. Run under it a 
rather heavy sheet of white paper, and lift it carefully from the 
water. If raised from the center, it is easier to let the water 
subside evenly and gradually without disarranging the parts. 
Some collectors find it better to float the specimen in water deep 
enough to allow the left hand to be placed under the sheet to 
raise it. Lay the sheet on a plate, and with a needle or forceps 
rearrange any of the delicate parts which have fallen together. 
A few drops of water placed on any portion will usually be suffi- 
cient to enable one to separate the branchlets or ultimate ramifi- 
cations. A magnifying-glass will be useful in this work. 
Cover a blotter with mounted specimens, spread over them a 
piece of cotton cloth, and on this place another blotter, upon 
which lay more mounted specimens and a cloth. Proceed in this 
way until all the specimens are used. Lay the pile of blotters 
between boards, and on them place the weights. The weights 
should not be very heavy. Judgment must be used in assorting 
the specimens, those that are fine being placed together. Those 
that are coarse and likely to indent the blotters should be placed 
between separate boards. In this way a flat surface and an even 
pressure will be obtained. The blotters and cloths should be 
