•94 
OF THE MARINE ALGAS, 
the water across the edge of the plate. If this be done 
deliberately and without undue precipitation, the tiniest 
even of the branchlets and filaments will fall one after the 
other into their proper place. 
Excellent as this plan is in its results, there is no doubt 
that it calls for a large amount of patience and foresight, 
and takes a good deal of time to carry out properly. Indeed, 
so much of its ultimate success depends upon the perfect 
quietude of the materials under operation, that not un- 
frequently an unlucky jerk of the arm or an ill-timed blow 
on the table will send the water streaming in the wrong 
direction, and mar the whole proceeding. I will therefore 
give another method, which, although its results are not 
more pleasing to the eye, is certainly much more easily 
carried out, and therefore less trying to the young student’s 
peace of mind. 
According to this plan, the paper, with the specimen on 
it, is drawn out of the plate and laid on a small tin dish, 
the bottom of which has been previously overlaid with a 
piece of paper of about the size of the object to be operated 
on. Two of these tin dishes should be provided, of dif- 
ferent sizes — the cost is a mere trifle — one measuring 
about fourteen inches by nine inches, and the other and 
smaller nine inches by five inches — each having the edges 
turned up say half an inch, so as to retain the water. 
The only other requisite is a small glass syringe, such as is 
used for medicinal purposes, and which may be purchased 
for a few pence at almost any glass or chemist’s shop. 
With this last instrument pour a gentle stream of water 
over the Alga as it lies in the dish, and continue to do so 
until the smaller filaments and pinnules begin to float — the 
stem and main branches, from their superior weight, still 
resting on the paper. It is an easy task now to insert a 
needle among the floating ramifications, and not merely 
reduce them to order, but bring them as nearly as possible 
into the same position they were wont to have when in 
their natural localities. The most delicate branchlets of 
