192 How To Make Fish Mounts 



thing in writing; keep a file on all these transactions. Ship the 

 materials months in advance. It is a rare freighter that departs 

 and arrives on time, and be sure there is a capable agent at the 

 other end to store supplies and equipment until an expedition 

 member can take over. 



Do not arrive "cold turkey," so to speak, and expect to put 

 in a good day's work on the beach. If possible, plan to come a 

 week or so early to prepare the work area, etc. It is even more 

 important to use that time to advantage in gradual acclimation 

 to the sun. I have worked all day, many times, on beaches 

 near the equator where there was not a cloud in the sky; and 

 temperatures hovered at the 100-degree mark. Yet I felt no 

 ill effects, simply because I had exposed myself to the sun 

 gradually for longer periods of time, over a week or so, before 

 working on the beach. 



Plaster of Paris should be packed according to distances in- 

 volved, length of time in the field, facilities for transportation, 

 etc. For example, if the expedition will be in the field for 

 several months and many fishes are to be collected, I advise 

 shipment of the plaster in 30-gallon drums, which will weigh 

 220 pounds each when filled with plaster. Specify "export 

 type," provided with rubber gaskets and convenient lock-type 

 covers. I shipped fifteen of these drums to Africa. 



However, wherever possible it is more advantageous to ship 

 the plaster in 5-gallon pails, available at most paint-distributing 

 concerns. These pails are provided with metal handles and 

 wooden grips which make the plaster easy to handle in the field. 

 The lids are equipped with metal extensions which close the 

 pail snugly when bent down, and rubber gaskets are included. 



The pails are excellent as receptacles for returning Formalin 

 specimens. After the specimens have been preserved thor- 

 oughly in Formalin, they can be packed in wet cheesecloth 

 without being sent in Formalin. The pails will be in no danger 

 of leaking Formalin, they will be much lighter in weight for 

 shipping, and the specimens will not be harmed. For addi- 

 tional protection and moisture, I prefer to place wet sisal ( other 



