8 



hand who will therewith be enabled to form 'a classification of 

 American Algae, equal to the standard of any in Europe. Sweden 

 has her Agardh, France her Montagne, Ireland is justly proud of 

 her Harvey, Scotland of her Landsborough, Wales of her Ralfs, and 

 England of her Griffiihs and her Greville ; and should this couniry, 

 whose shores are lashed by the Atlantic and the Pacific — whose 

 territory extends from the torrid to the frigid zone — whose inland 

 lakes are equal to so many seas, — lack a genius to do justice to this 

 branch of science! We hear a sound from West Point, and echo 

 answers, No ! We have our Bailey. Let us, then, gather round 

 Professor Bailey ; let us supply him with the products of our col- 

 lections, of our notes and observations, and j feel assured he will 

 do this subject and this country ample justice in the emanation he 

 will present to us; and we shall then stand side by side of the 

 other nations, and our marine plants will be known and acknowledged 

 by all scientific bodies. 



To the unpractised collector it may not be amiss to give a few 

 short directions for collecting and preserving specimens. If the 

 Green Series be your pursuit, you will find them chiefly from high 

 to half tide mark, or in fresh water. If the Olive series, they may 

 be mostly found from half to low tide mark ; and the Red Series 

 will be found the most plentiful from low tide mark. But there are 

 abundant exceptions to these general rules. Rocky shores are the 

 most prolific in specimens. In collecting, several bottles should be 

 provided for receiving your fine and delicate specimens, for. if mixed 

 in a mass, or with coarse species, they will be much injured, if not 

 spoiled. 



In the display of specimens, great care should be taken to do it 

 to advantage, for it is very agreeable to behold their beauties to the 

 best advanta<>e ; and although some naturalists assume to despise 

 such display, 1 find that even they always prefer specimens so pre- 

 pared by others. Two dishes of water are necessary for this opera- 

 tion — the one to wash, the other to disentangle them in, and like- 

 wise to display them in proper form. Good white paper should 

 be selected, and cut in sizes to suit ihe collector. One of these 

 papers must be placed under the plant in the dish of water, and 

 when the plant is arranged by aid of a point, which should not be 

 too sharp, the paper should then be carefully withdrawn from the 

 water. If a fine and gelatinous specimen, the ramuli will be 

 washed together, and much disfigured in consequence. To iectify 



