(Platiue ■|l•'lote8 : 
Zhc Selborne Society’s flDagasine. 
No. 67. JULY, 1895. VoL. VL 
SEAWEED GATHERING. 
this season many of us turn our fancies lightly to the 
sea-shore, and if bathing, fishing, throwing stones into 
the sea or other healthy recreation fill the foreground 
of our mental picture, there is always room in it for a 
ramble among the rocks. The pursuit of crabs, small eels, and 
experiments on the sense of touch in sea anemones may not be 
Selbornian occupations, though they have a charm for the age of 
innocence, and often lead to higher things in the evolution of the 
\ outhful naturalist. Seaweed hunting, I am afraid, is commonly 
voted too ladylike an amusement for robust youth, though con- 
ducted in a sportsmanlike fashion it is easy enough to drown one- 
self or one’s friends, or break limbs at this pursuit. This view of 
it, if judiciously explained to the young brother, may be the means 
of luring him on to the aid of science, and if permitted one or two 
involuntary baths he will be sure to return with zest. I have 
seen a distinguished lady writer on seaweeds benefitting science 
by the retrieving powers of an athletic younger brother, while at 
the same time, no doubt, it cemented the domestic affectionL 
The equipment is not expensive. Old clothes are the first 
necessity, a sponge bag or milk can with a tight lid for specimens, 
a stick with a chisel edge at one end for detaching them, and, in 
the absence of the young brother, a landing net screwed into the 
other end of the stick for recovering them from pools, is all that 
is needed for collecting. The sponge bag is to take the place of 
bottles, and the chisel end of the stick to do away with the need 
of a knife — both undesirable companions in slippery places. 
The immediate neighbourhood of river water is generally a bad 
collecting ground, owing to the alterations in density of the sea 
water that result from the mixture. Friable rocks like chalk 
