30 fathoms depth, providing that the hottom is roeky or strewn with 

 boulders or rock fragments, or reasonably large shells. Here an abundant 

 harvest is almost invariably to be obtained. 



Whether on shore or at sea, I find the same simple collecting outfit 

 indispensable for effective work. This may well include: 



1 broad, thin-bladed knife or spatula; 



1 old scalpel or pen-knife (for use in dislodgement of the more minute specimens); 



A series of small, flat, smooth-surfaced sticks, somewhat like rulers, cut into con- 

 venient lengths and of assorted widths (except for Cryptochiton, which requires 

 altogether special treatment, a width of 3 inches is usually ample for the largest); 



A number of ordinary glass microscope slides; 



A plentiful supply of narrow white (or undyed) cloth tape or very soft twine 

 (it is often an advantage to have both); 



A few small buckets or jars; 



A supply of 70 percent a'cohol; 



A large bucket or strong canvas knapsack as an all-inclusive and handy container 

 for the outlit. 



The animals are easily loosened from the surface to which they cling 

 by a deft insertion of the knife-blade beneath the edge of the girdle, fol- 

 lowed by a slightly lifting lateral motion of the knife. Care should be used 

 not to cut or otherwise injure the girdle or to crack the valves. Before it 

 has a chance to curl each animal should then be promptly transferred to 

 one of the sticks of appropriate size (or, if a smallish example, to one of the 

 glass slides) kept well wetted with sea water, gently yet firmly flattened 

 into close approximation with its surface, and, its long axis coinciding with 

 that of the stick, there bound in position by several rapid turns of the tape 

 or cord. The disengaged animal will usually begin to bend in upon itself 

 almost immediately, and it sometimes happens, with the best of precautions, 

 that this will proceed past the stage when it will readily yield to straighten- 

 ing, while a particularly recalcitrant individual may curl itself up into a 

 solid, armadillo-like, protective ball before it can be bound to its stick. In 

 such event, any attempt to straighten it out by sheer force can only ter- 

 minate imperfectly at best, and is considerably more likely to break the 

 valves or their insertion-plates or otherwise result in irreparable disaster 

 to the specimen. A much better recourse is to drop all such aniinals into 

 the collecting bucket forthwith and to cover them with sea water. There 

 they are likely to resume their normal extended state within a short time, 

 and can be duly cared for upon the collector's return to his base. The 

 more stubborn individuals may then be transferred to a quiet bowl of clean 

 sea water, where, if uninjured, they will in time usually resume the normal 

 position. In tying the chitons to the sticks or slides a convenient and space- 

 saving practice is to bind down two or more specimens at one time by 

 placing them simultaneously on opposite faces of the stick. Before winding 

 them tightly on one should assure one's self, as has already been indicated, 

 that close adhesion has been secured at all points by gently sliding the 

 specimen or otherwise carefully manipulating the girdle until the animal 

 is perfectly even and flat. As each stick or slide becomes filled to capacity, 

 its binding tape should be firmly tied by a single bow or draw-knot, and 

 it may then be dropped into a jar of weak alcohol or even replaced in sea 



(45) 



