Page:Hardwicke's Science-Gossip - Volume 1.pdf/190
should be taken, in gathering this species, to remove it from the rocks by the roots, otherwise, if its tubular branches be torn or broken, much of the fine green colour will be lost, and the beauty of the specimen considerably impaired. Pretty specimens of a finely-forked olive plant, called Dictyota dichotoma, grow in the rock-pools near St. Leonards; and outside the Castle Rocks, off Hastings, several red species grow in profusion. At Brighton the collector should commence his search at the east end of the Esplanade, and so on towards Rottingdean. The beautiful plant known as the Peacock, or Turkey-feather laver (Padina pavonia), is rarely met with but in shallow rock-pools at half-tide level, where it can enjoy the full light and heat of the sun. This justly-admired species is found at Weymouth, Exmouth, and Margate; also at Shanklin, in the Isle of Wight, where it fringes the rock-pools in the greatest abundance. At Ventnor, in the early summer months, many of the finer red weeds are cast ashore, especially that grandly named plant Sphærococcus coronopifolius. Ilfracombe and Lynmouth are excellent localities for the handsome red leafy plants, so also are Whitby and Filey. Peterhead is famous for Odonthalia, or toothed seawort, as well as that lovely olive species known as Ectocarpus Mertensii. On the west coast of Scotland, the shores of the Cumbrae Islands, and Whiting Bay in the Isle of Arran, will amply repay the collector for a visit. On the shores of the last-mentioned place, among other treasures, are found in profusion Odonthalia and Ptilota plumosa, and occasionally the very rare Callithamnion arbuscula. The above charming hunting-grounds for amateur collectors, and because, for the most part, they present no very serious difficulties to ordinary pedestrians in obtaining a considerable number of interesting specimens.
Patience, diligence, and the capability of bearing a fair amount of fatigue, are necessary qualifications for all who undertake the search after seaweeds, because, as many of the finer kinds grow under the shade of rocks or in deep pools, some occasional rough climbing, and now and then a slip or two into cool water, must be expected as "all in the day's work."
Almost all collectors commence by mounting plants which a little experience proves to be worthless; this, however, is of very little importance; the eye soon learns to detect the difference between plants in and out of condition, and practice in mounting is equally valuable whether the specimens be good or bad.
When I think of the difficulties I experienced when I commenced the study of marine botany, especially in the collecting and drying of seaweeds, I feel strongly inclined to urge all beginners to obtain some information concerning Marine Algæ before they go to the sea-shore to collect for themselves. A very few hours of study with an experienced Algologist, or even a perusal of certain standard illustrated works on British Algæ, will save much trouble and materially assist the unpractised eye in selecting specimens for the herbarium. But if the student would prefer a few visits to the library of the British Museum, he will find in Harvey's "Phycologia Britannica" figures, with magnified portions, of every species of plant which he is likely to meet with on the shores of the British islands.
If the collector wishes to learn, not merely the names of plants, but to distinguish species, he will do well to provide himself with a copy of Harvey's little volume, "The Synopsis of British Seaweeds," and a Stanhope or a Coddington lens, by means of which he can examine portions of delicate plants as he finds them, and compare them with the descriptions given in the Synopsis; in this way, if he have any success during his excursions, he will quickly become familiar with most of the plants which are cast ashore or grow within tide-marks.
As regards collecting boxes or bags, ladies and gentlemen may suit their own convenience. For short journeys an ordinary india-rubber sponge-bag is as good as anything; but in very warm weather, a tin can with loop-handle and cover is better, because it keeps the plants cool; and the water should be changed frequently; otherwise, if a large number of weeds be kept together, decomposition among the finer species is apt to take place; and here I may observe that there is one genus of beautiful olive plants, the Sporochnaceæ, which must on no account be mixed with any of the delicate red plants, for they not only very rapidly decompose, but injure almost all others with which they are placed in contact; hence they should always be put in a bag or tin case by themselves. The species are not very numerous, and they may be easily recognized, after having been previously studied, from the coloured figures either in Harvey's "Phycologia," or in Bradbury and Evans's "Nature-printed Seaweeds."
Gloves are rather a nuisance than otherwise, but I would advise ladies to wear a strong leather glove on the left hand when rocks have to be scaled, because they are frequently coated with Balani or sea-acorns, the shells of which are sharp and apt to lacerate the hands in the event of slips now and then; but I strongly recommend keeping the right hand always bare; for there is nothing like the unimpeded touch in separating delicate branching plants from the rocks, from the coarser weeds, or from the masses of rejectamenta in which they are sometimes found. Every plant should be swilled in the nearest rock-pool, and washed as clean as pos-