170 THE AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 



Suggestions for Collecting 



Care must be exercised when one comes in contact with the poisonous 

 snakes. Skilled persons are able to catch them by means of a snake hook or 

 noose but this is not recommended for anyone who has not had experience. 



For study collections rattlesnakes and copperheads are best killed and 

 preserved at once. A pistol or small calibre shot-gun loaded with very fine 

 shot is useful for this purpose, and in the case of many lizards and aquatic 

 reptiles some sort of fire-arm is indispensable. Harmless snakes may be seized 

 in the hand although the larger ones are capable of biting hard enough to 

 produce scratches; a pair of heavy leather gauntlets is a good protection. The 

 lizards of the state are too small to do much damage but care must be used 

 in grasping them lest the tail become detached. Turtles may be held by the 

 shells, except snappers, which are best carried by the tail. 



Formalin and a hypodermic needle should be taken in the field to preserve 

 specimens which are collected dead. Live material is best carried in a sack. 

 Flour, sugar or salt bags which have been stitched around the edge by a sew- 

 ing machine are quite satisfactory.- Burlap bags and other sacks of coarse 

 weave should not be used as snakes and lizards sometimes force their way 

 through the meshes, especially if they are wet. 



Specimens should never be left in air tight containers nor should bags of 

 them be left in the sun. Under ordinary circumstances they survive best 

 under cool, damp conditions. 



Most lizards and turtles are discovered while they are active and in the 

 open but the majority of snakes are usually found hidden beneath rocks, 

 boards, etc. Hence much collecting consists of overturning such objects. 

 Favorite habitats and places in which the various species of reptiles have been 

 found are mentioned under the discussions of each individual species. 



Instructions for Preserving Reptiles 



Preserved collections of reptiles are indispensable for making scientific 

 records and are very useful for purposes of identification and teaching. Mate- 

 rials for permanently preparing specimens are inexpensive and the amount of 

 effort required is not great. 



Snakes and lizards are most satisfactorily killed by chloroforming or by 

 drowning. This may be accomplished by placing them in a bottle, can or 

 sack, excluding all air and immersing them in tepid water. It is paradoxical 

 that water snakes are among the quickest and easiest to drown and pit vipers 

 are among the hardest. Turtles also may be killed by drowning but more 

 rapid results are obtained by injecting them with a small amount of ether. 



Reptiles are best preserved as alcoholics. To prevent internal decay and 

 eventual spoilage specimens should be injected with 6% formalin or 70% 

 grain alcohol by means of a hypodermic syringe. Injection should be made 



