CHAPTER Vin. 

 COLLECTING REPTILES. 



OPHIDLE: Serpents. All the small and medium-sized ser- 

 pents should be preserved entire in good, clean, ninety -five per 

 cent, alcohol, diluted with one-half its own bulk of water. If 

 the spirits is not as strong as ninety -five per cent., then dilute 

 with one-third water instead of one-half. There should be from 

 two to four incisions made along 1 the median line of the belly, 

 each one a few inches in length, to make openings through 

 which the spirits can reach the abdominal region. Give the 

 specimen plenty of room until it is thoroughly penetrated with 

 the alcohol. 



Large serpents must be measured carefully, slit open under- 

 neath in a straight line from the vent up to within six or eight 

 inches of the head, and completely skinned. A drj 7 snake skin 

 is about as good as none at all for mounting. I have seen 

 many, but never yet knew of one being mounted well. By all 

 means preserve all snake skins in spirits, as described above, or 

 in the salt-and-alum bath. By making a head of cork it is 

 quite easy to take both the complete skin and skeleton of a 

 large serpent. If the head is to be mounted with the mouth 

 open, an extra skull must be procured. 



LACERTILIA : The Lizards. As with serpents, the small ones 

 should be opened underneath and preserved entire in spirits, 

 while the large ones, if alcohol is scarce, may be skinned in the 

 field, and the skins only put into the spirit-tank for preserva- 

 tion. In putting up specimens entire, the abdominal opening 

 must be large enough fully to insure the entrance of the liquid 

 into the abdominal cavity, or otherwise the decay of the intes- 

 tines may cause the epidermis to slip from the outside. 



CROCODILIA: The Crocodiles and Alligators. A word in re- 

 gard to shooting saurians. Go prepared to hunt and kill 



