100 On preserving Marine productions. 



The moment the dredge is pulled up, I take out the more de- 

 licate specimens, — Comatulm, Ophiurce, &c. and put them 

 into spirit of wine mixed with an equal quantity of water. — 

 The larger specimens, — Asterim, Echini, Spatangi, &c. I put 

 into distilled water, which instantly kills them. By this me- 

 thod I secure all their feelers and spines perfect. It is next 

 to impossible to preserve an Ophiura or a Comatula, in any 

 other manner, for they drop off all their feelers the instant 

 they leave the sea water. When I reach home, I first take 

 all the specimens which I intend to dry, and put them into 

 pans, filled with distilled water, (or if that be not easily ob- 

 tained, rain water will do, but having a steam apparatus, I am 

 never without a sufficient supply, and therefore I cannot speak 

 very positively about it). The smaller specimens I allow to 

 soak for a day, or twenty-four hours, if in cold weather ; and 

 the larger ones two or three days, changing the water fre- 

 quently ; (every two or three hours, when it becomes turbid). 

 In cleaning them, I merely wash the Comatulce with a ca- 

 mel's hair pencil, in warm water, and pin the specimen out 

 upon oiled paper, placed upon cork ; (otherwise the feelers 

 could not be separated from the paper, when dry). The O- 

 phiurcb I squeeze all over the body, to press out the ovaria, 

 &c. wash, and pin them out as before. The Asterice I cut 

 open through every finger, and take out all their contents, 

 then wash the inner as well as the outer surface, with a tooth- 

 brush, scraping off all the soft feelers, but leaving the bony 

 ones ; then pin the specimens on cork or board, covered with 

 white blotting paper, three or four times doubled. The lar- 

 ger specimens, which, if not dried quickly, will fall to pieces, 

 I put into the oven until they are set ; I keep the heat to 110° 

 only, and turn the specimen every half hour, putting fresh 

 blotting paper under it each time. Generally about three 

 hours is sufficient, to keep them in the oven. I then place 

 them in a current of air to harden. All these specimens, par- 

 ticularly the red ones, should be dried in the shade, and co- 

 verered over loosely, for they lose their colour on exposure 

 to the sun while drying. 



The Echini I clean by taking out all the internal matter, 

 and soaking them in rain water, changed frequently, for three 

 or four days, after which I hang them in the air for a week or 

 so, to take off the faint smell which is peculiar to them. 



To preserve the spines on Echini, which have been dried 

 without cleaning, I recommend the whole specimen to be 

 dipped into a weak solution of isinglass, two or three times, 

 which, when dry, will exclude the air from their attachments, 

 besides acting as a cement to make them adhere more firmly. 



Teignmouth, Nov. 15th, 1837. 



