Should these be placed in the preservative before death occurs, the animal 

 retracts within the shell and the operculum cannot be seen in the prepared 

 specimen. The specimens should remain in alcohol for at least 24 hours 

 if small and longer if large. After removal, the fluid should be drained 

 from them and they should be allowed to dry for at least a week before 

 packing them away. 



Larger bivalves, such as Pinna, Area, Lithophaga, in fact all of the 

 larger ones, should be boiled and the soft parts removed; even Yoldia and 

 the smaller Tellina should be cleaned in this way. 



There is a diversity of opinion regarding the position in which bivalves 

 should be dried. Many favor closing the valves in a natural position and 

 holding them in place by a few strands of cops wound about them until 

 they are dry, but others prefer to dry the specimens, wide open, "butterfly 

 fashion," maintaining that the beauty of the shell is enhanced and the 

 inside structure more easily seen and studied. Individual preferences should 

 be the guide. 



If there is one procedure that will make the average collector use 

 Biblical terms, loud and long, but in a different juxtaposition from those in 

 Holy Writ, it is the practice of holding the valves in position by means 

 of narrow strips of surgical adhesive plaster. The rubber coating of the 

 plaster eventually separates from the fabric and adheres to the shell. It is 

 hard to remove and the collector who adopts this procedure is roundly 

 damned but NOT "with faint praise." 



If it is desired that specimens of Pteria, Anomia, and the like be pre- 

 served on the Gorgonia or other object on which they have been found, 

 they should be placed in alcohol for a day or two and then dried "in situ." 



Pododesmus should be left as found, as any attempt to remove the 

 animal portions will prove disastrous. The animal is so small that it will 

 not make itself unpleasantly evident and will dry up. 



Dentalium, Rimula, and the like are left over night in fresh water and 

 the animal easily removed the following morning. With Cyphoma, Mar- 

 ginella, Oliva, Olivella, and Trivia, it is necessary to kill the animal with 

 fresh water. They should remain in fresh water for at least 48 hours, with 

 two or more changes of water before the body is sufficiently softened so 

 that it may be removed with the syringe. It might be mentioned that if the 

 shell to be cleaned is held under water during the operation, the collector 

 will obviate all danger of spraying his features and anatomy as well as all 

 adjacent territory with none-too-sweet-smelling water. 



The larger Conus may be boiled and the animal removed, using a 

 straight wire or, as previously mentioned, a crochet hook which has been 

 slightly bent. The wire should be introduced parallel with the long axis 

 of the shell. A firm twist will usually start the body rolling out. 



Be sure to preserve the operculum of every specimen and see to it that 

 each shell has its own operculum. Place the operculum within the shell 

 and close the aperture with a small wad of cotton or crumpled paper. Later, 



(14) 



