14 SEA-WEEDS OBTAINED BY DEEDGING. 



tioned ; and, as several very rare species are seldom to 

 be procured by any other means, this should on no ac- 

 count be overlooked. This is by dredging, which, 

 although a rather troublesome and dirty operation, will 

 often repay him for his exertions. Many plants which 

 grow only in very deep water, are scarcely ever found 

 in good condition, except by the process of dredging. 

 There is also another great advantage attending the 

 use of the dredge, for, on carefully examining the con- 

 tents brought up from the bottom of the sea, the collec- 

 tor will occasionally find scarce shells, corallines and 

 zoophytes, besides many species of Crustacea, &c. 



After gathering our plants, the next point to be at- 

 tended to is to give them a good washing before leaving 

 the shore, either in the sea or in some of the pools left 

 by the receding tide, removing from them, at the same 

 time, as far as may be practicable, all fragments of de- 

 cayed sea-weeds, and other extraneous bodies, such as 

 particles of sand and gravel, portions of the softened 

 surface of sandstone or argillaceous rock on which the 

 plants have been growing, together with the smaller 

 Testacea, &c, &c. 



When gathering our plants, however, it cannot be 

 expected we can devote any considerable portion of time 

 to this cleansing, our principal object being to collect, 

 and remembering that we shall be compelled to relin- 

 quish our pursuit soon after the tide begins to flow ; 



