Amateur Fish Museums 169 



bathe the eyes immediately in clean water. However, if the 

 cover of the container is held in one hand and clamped down as 

 soon as the fish enters, there should be no difficulty. Obviously, 

 do not attempt to insert a fish into a full jar of Formalin. 



Scientists accustomed to working with Formalin may carry 

 glass "Ball jars" during short collecting trips. In the field, how- 

 ever, the amateur should use some sort of nonbreakable re- 

 ceptacle such as a paint can which has a lid or one of the 

 inexpensive plastic-tvpe containers which come in all sorts of 

 sizes and shapes. It is important that any receptacle used in 

 the field be equipped with a lid which cannot be shaken off 

 while traveling. A glass jar of Formalin can be a dangerous 

 thing if broken by accident. When the specimens reach home 

 or the laboratory, they should be rinsed in water to remove any 

 foreign material adhering to them. Then their abdomens 

 should be cut as previously described. 



Jars for Specimen Display 



Expensive jars are not necessary for display. Food stuffs of 

 all types are packed in screw-top jars. Wide-mouth pickle jars 

 are especially good for fish preservation and exhibition. Res- 

 taurants, delicatessens, school and camp kitchens, etc., discard 

 large jars of all types. They are usually happy to cooperate in 

 saving jars for you. Any fish can be displayed to greater ad- 

 vantage if it is placed alone in a jar. Situate the specimen 

 against the glass in the jar so that it can be viewed easily. Fish 

 inserted tail first are easier to remove, head first. Then cover the 

 specimen with the Formalin solution. 



A professional touch can be given to each jar by attaching a 

 tag which gives information about the species of fish. Include 

 common and scientific name, locality of capture, date, and 

 name of the collectors. Scientists insert waterproof labels into 

 the jars; waterproof ink is used on the labels. Also, the informa- 

 tion on the label is supplemented by other, detailed facts which 

 are entered in a catalog: type of water, vegetation, bottom, 

 shore, distance from shore or stream width, depth of capture, 



