84 TAXIDERMY ATSTD ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING. 



ECHINI. In all tropic seas the collector is liable to find 

 echinoderms, " sea-urchins," " sea-eggs," or " sea-porcupines." 

 These creatures are usually spherical in shape, with the niouth 

 underneath, and the internal structure of the animal is covered 

 with a stout, calcareous shell of uniform thickness, which is set 

 all over on the outside with a mass of protecting spines, usu- 

 ally fine and very sharp -pointed, but sometimes thick and blunt. 

 In life the spines are movable, and by means of them the creat- 

 ure walks, or clings to its native rocks most tenaciously. 



The best time to seek echini is at low tide, and the best 

 places are those where the shore line is composed of rough 

 rocks, scooped out here and there into shallow pools. Take 

 with you a large basket, a large screw-driver, if you have one, 

 or failing that, a knife with a long, stout blade. Wear old 

 clothes, unless you can afford to spoil new ones. When the tide 

 is low you can wade around in the now peaceful pools, and find 

 the echini in the sheltered crevices, clinging to the bottom, or 

 the perpendicular sides of the rocks, but always under water. 



To dislodge them, the knife-point or the edge of the screw- 

 driver must be neatly and skilfully worked under the victim 

 far enough to enable you, with the exertion of some force and a 

 steady pull, to pry him loose from the rock, whereupon he be- 

 comes your lawful prey. Next comes the cleaning process. 

 With a small knife, detach the skin of the mouth parts from 

 the edge of the round hole underneath, in the middle of which 

 the mouth is situated, and remove all fluid and fleshy matter 

 from the interior of the shell. That done, wash it out thor- 

 oughly. The bony jaws, or " Aristotle's lantern," may also be 

 drawn out through the hole and thrown away unless you hap- 

 pen to be collecting for some one who is studying the anatomy 

 of echini, in which case he must speak for himself. 



Having cleaned your sea-urchin, put it in clean alcohol 

 (same strength as for fishes) and let it soak for about twenty- 

 four hours. This will prevent the spines from gently dropping 

 off, like leaves in autumn, when you proceed to dry the speci- 

 men. After soaking in spirits, put the specimens out in n 

 shady place to dry. It is a curious fact that all the echini of 

 Ceylon and Malayana lose their spines unless soaked in spirits 

 before drying, whereas those of the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, 



