540 THE BOTANY OF FUNAFUTI, ELLICE GROUP, 



collector will be much the same as that of his zoological brother, 

 consisting of small casks and drums, and cylindrical glass bottles 

 (preferably preserving jars). These should be chosen with as 

 little shoulder as possible, that is to say, they should have the 

 widest mouths. The preserving fluid should be f ormol (formalin), 

 say 2 per cent. 



Jewellers' tags can be attached to each specimen, with the 

 information written in black lead; the specimens are then placed 

 in the liquid. A supply of muslin bags is also desirable, or 

 muslin or butter-cloth alone for wrapping over certain specimens 

 which are best wrapped up, either because no label can otherwise 

 be readily attached to them or because of their liability to fall 

 to pieces. Before putting them in the preservative, a piece of 

 paper, written in black lead, should be placed inside the bag or 

 cloth. A supply of string will be necessary for tying the muslin 

 or butter-cloth packages. Of course care will be exercised that 

 specimens which impart a deep colour to the liquid may be placed 

 in vessels by themselves. If this little precaution be not adopted, 

 the specimens of pale or delicate colour will be damaged. But 

 these are common-sense matters which will appeal to every 

 collector. ]Most of the specimens when taken out of the liquid 

 will be found to be comparatively tough. The leaves, fruits, lirc, 

 of such plants as readily drop their leaves and fruits in drying 

 will be found for the most part to remain in situ. The speci- 

 mens should be taken out of the liquid carefully, and the liquid 

 removed from them b)^ pressing them gently between folds of 

 porous paper; as soon as the readily absorbable moisture is thus 

 got rid of, the specimens are dried in the ordinary wa}^ i.e., as if 

 they had just been collected. 



This method was adopted in the collection of the Funafuti speci- 

 mens; and it has otherwise proved so successful, during the last five 

 years, that I feel justified in believing that it will prove the key 

 to successful collecting in these islands and other localities where 

 the specimens are laden with salt or where the atmosphere is 

 charged with moisture. To my knowledge, the waste of speci- 

 mens received from the South Sea Islands (including New Guinea) 



