70 OF THE FILAMENTOUS ALGjE. 



being placed in a vessel of water, will spread themselves 

 out ; and in this they may be assisted by passing a needle 

 several times through their entire length from base to tip. 

 Let the paper be raised very slowly through the water on 

 the left hand, while the root end of the plant is held firmly 

 with the right. If the paper be slightly shaken, the fila- 

 ments will expand themselves still more fully, and will be 

 prevented from rolling into a thick cord-like tuft along the 

 middle of the paper, as so often happens when the hand is 

 raised too suddenly from the water. 



Auerswald recommends a thin metal plate in lieu of the 

 hand for lifting the plants from the basin. As regards the 

 smaller specimens, my own experience is not in favour of 

 this plan, because one can regulate the draining off of the 

 water so much more easily with the fingers than with any 

 mechanical appliance. With the larger Algae, on the con- 

 trary, I have found it an admirable method, as the flatness 

 of the plate prevents the paper from falling into folds and 

 wrinkles. If a metal plate is not at hand, the cover of a 

 cigar-box or any thin flat piece of wood makes an ex- 

 cellent substitute. 



The fronds of Draparnaldia and Stigeoclonium (it is well 

 to bear in mind) are too delicate to allow of their being 

 subjected to the press. Their filaments, after being removed 

 from the water, may be still further arranged by the aid of 

 a needle and hair pencil, and then the specimen should be 

 put on one side to dry. 



Some species of Cladophora, which grow to a great 

 length, cannot be laid on paper of a manageable size. It is 

 best in this case to give the plant a serpentine motion as it 

 is being lifted from the water. It can thus be laid without 

 difficulty along the edge of the sheet in an undulating 

 manner, then covered with the stearine paper, and pressed 

 as usual. In this way, at least one preparation may be 

 made, which comes within the compass of a sheet of paper, 

 and yet represents fairly the natural habit of the plant. 



The Zygnemaceas, as previously mentioned, cannot be 



