250 



THE MUSEUM. 



specimens generally increase in num- 

 ber and interest in proportion as we 

 approximate to low-water-mark. Nev- 

 ertheless the whole area should be 

 searched, as each species has its pe- 

 culiar range, and many forms can live 

 only where they are exposed to the 

 air for a greater part of the time each 

 day. The ground may be either mud- 

 dy, sandy, weedy, gravelly, stoney 

 or rocky, and the animals inabiting 

 each kind of ground will be found to 

 be more or less peculiar to it, and 

 rarely to occur on the others. Sand 

 and mitd are, however, so similar in 

 character that their denizens are near- 

 ly the same, though some prefer the 

 clearer waters which flow over sand, 

 to the turbid tide which deposits mud. 

 But few specimens will be found on 

 the surface of such ground, although 

 the little pools lying upon it should be 

 scooped with the dip net for shrimps, 

 etc., but it is only by the spade that 

 its true riches can be developed. By 

 digging in spots indicated by small 

 holes, a great number of worms, bor- 

 ing crustaceans, and bivalves may al- 

 ways be found. Weedy ground is so 

 called from the abundance of eel-grass 

 and sea-weed which covers it. These 

 weeds should be examined carefully 

 for small shells and crustaceans; per- 

 haps the best method of doing this 

 being to wash quantities of the weed 

 in a bucket of water and examine the 

 sediment. Gravelly ground is not 

 generally very rich in animal life, but 

 will repay an examination, as small 

 crabs are fond of lurking among the 

 pebbles. Stoney groiind is by far the 

 richest of all. Wherever there are 

 stones, particularly flat ones, about 

 large enough to afford a moderate de- 

 gree of exercise to common sized man 



in turning them over, there the zoolo- 

 gist can never fail to fill his basket and 

 bottles; for beneath these stones my- 

 riads of rare and beautiful species re- 

 tire for moisture and protection during 

 the retreat of the tide. Rocky ground 

 should be searched chiefly in the pools 

 and crevices. 



Littoral or sea-shore investigations 

 should be carried On not only in the 

 bays, harbors, and creeks, but on the 

 ocean beach, in each locality, to get 

 at a true idea of its fauna, as the re- 

 spective animals will be found differ- 

 ent. 



For shore collecting, a broad, flat 

 basket, with jars or tin cans, of various 

 sizes, for the smaller and more deli- 

 cate animals, which should be brought 

 home in sea water. A spade, trowel, 

 and a strong knife for detaching lim- 

 pets and tunicates from the rocks. A 

 small dip-net is quite indispensible. 

 Preservation of Specimens. 



Alcoholic fluid is the only medium 

 in which marine invertebrates can be 

 properly preserved, shells and corals 

 alone being excepted. Dried speci- 

 mens are always in danger from damp- 

 ness and breakage, and when sent to 

 the Museum, seldom reach their desti- 

 nation uninjured. In placing the 

 specimens in kegs, cans, jars or bot- 

 tles, a few rules should be carefully 

 observed: ist. Never crowd them too 

 much; a bottle should be not more 

 than half filled with specimens, but 

 must be always entirely filled with al- 

 cohol. 2d. Adapt the bottles to the 

 size of the specimens, placing small 

 ones in small bottles, or, if very minute, 

 in homoeopathic vials. 3d. Never 

 put soft and delicate forms with hard 

 or spinous ones, which would injure 

 them in any agitation. Each jar or 



