72 



PRESERVATION OF SPECIMENS. 



answer every purpose, but a camers-hair brush 

 and a needle will often be useful. When the 

 specimen is properly arranged, the card is lifted 

 from the water, carrying upon it the piece of sea- 

 weed. 



There is little difficulty in getting the plants 

 to adhere to the paper, as most of the algee are 

 furnished with a gelatinous substance, which 

 acts like glue, and fixes them firmly down. 

 Where they do not readily adhere, the use of 

 hot water will generally compel them to do so ; 

 and if they still remain obstinate, the gelatine 

 obtained by boiling the carrageen {Chondrus 

 crispus) — see p. 39 — will be an unfailing remedy. 

 This is a much better cement than animal glue, 

 or even gum-water, as it approaches nearer to 

 the natural glue of the plant. Furcellaria fasti- 

 giata, Cladophora arcta, and others, are not easily 

 affixed to the paper, and will often require the 

 aid of some adventitious substance. 



This sketch of the British marine algae is neces- 

 sarily very imperfect; but even as it is, they 

 have occupied rather more than their proper 

 share of paper. Still, there are sufficient dif- 

 ferent genera here mentioned to prevent the 

 inexperienced marine botanist from erring very 

 widely, and the specimens chosen have been 



