116 AUSTRALIAN LAND PLANARIANS, 



advantageously preserved by putting at once into spirit, so that 

 at all times it is desirable for the collector to take them home 

 alive. 



When such soft-bodied creatures are to be preserved it is 

 necessary to use some fluid medium such as alcohol, for they 

 cannot be dried without destroying all recognisable characters. 

 If put direct into spirit, many planarians break into fragments 

 owing to the forcible contraction induced, or become twisted or 

 curled so as to render their future examination a matter of some 

 difficulty. 



Again, they are all more or less covered with a slimy secretion, 

 which, being coagulated by the spirit, forms a white opac[ue 

 coating adhering tenaciously to the surface of the animal, and so 

 effectually masking the characteristic bands and markings as to 

 frequently i*ender identification difficult or uncertain, besides 

 usually completely obscuring the eyes. 



In preserving these worms — and I may here state that earth- 

 worms may be advantageously treated in precisely the same 

 manner — I first of all kill them witli very weak spirit. The 

 strengtli which I prefer is 1 of ordinary methylated spirit to 15 

 or 20 of water. 



The worms are simply dropped into this weak spirit contained 

 in a shallow dish, and die in about 10 or 15 minutes without the 

 slime becoming coagulated or the worm breaking into pieces. I 

 now take them up one at a time by means of a pair of weak- 

 springed flat-bladed forceps, and with the aid of my wetted fingei's 

 gently draw the blades of the forceps along the worm's body, 

 slightly compressing the body between them, and in this way 

 scrape off the slime, wiping the forceps on a piece of rag. With 

 a little care this can be done readily and safely even with the 

 most delicate planarians, and leaves them beautifully clean and 

 free from the objectionable slime. It is necessary to keep the 

 fingers moist, otherwise the worm will stick and become damaged. 



Having the strong spirit (80 to 85 per cent.) in another shallow 

 dish, the worm is gently laid in it and by means of fingers and 

 foi'ceps flattened and straightened out and prevented from 



