NATURAL HISTORY. 237 



ring abundant specimens of nests and eggs. Wiien possible, tlie skin" 

 of the bird to which each set of eggs may belong should be secured, as 

 well as the skins of birds generally. 



A great obstacle in the way of making alcoholic collections while 

 on a march, has been found in the escape of the spirits and the 

 friction of the specimens, as well as in the mixing up of those from 

 different localities. All these difficulties have been successfully ob- 

 viated by means of the following arrangement: instead of using 

 glass jars, so liable to break, or even wooden kegs, so difficult of 

 stowage, a square copper can should be procured, having a large 

 mouth with a cap fitting tightly over it, either by a screw, or other- 

 wise. The can should be enclosed in a wooden box, or may be made 

 to fit to a division of a pannier, to be slung across the back of a 

 mule. Several small cans, in capacity of from a half to one-third of 

 a cubic foot, or even less, will be better than one large one. Small 

 bags of mosquito netting, lino, crinoline, or other porous material, 

 should be provided, made in shape like a pillow-case, and open at one 

 end ; these may be from six to fifteen inches long. When small 

 fishes, reptiles, or other specimens are procured in any locality, they 

 may be placed indiscriminately in one or more of these bags (the 

 mouths of which are to be tied up like a sack,) and then thrown into 

 the alcohol. Previously, however, a label of parchment, leather, or 

 stout paper should be placed inside the bag, containing the name of the 

 locality or other mark, and written in ordinary ink. The label, if dry 

 before being placed in the bag, will retain its writing unchanged for 

 a long ti'.ue. The locality, or its number, should also be coarsely 

 marked with a red pencil on the outside of the bag. In this way, 

 the specimens, besides being readily identified, are preserved from 

 rubbing against each other, and consequent injury. Still further to 

 facilitate this object, an India rubber gas-bag may be employed to 

 great advantage^ by introducing it into the vessel, and inflating until 

 all vacant space is filled up by the bag, and the consequent displace- 

 ment of the spirit. When additional specimens are to be added, a 

 portion of the air may be let out, and the bag afterwards again inflated. 

 Should this arrangement be found impracticable, a quantity of tow, 

 cotton, or rags, kept over the specimens, will be found useful ir) ])re- 

 venting their friction against each other, or the sides of the vcsicl. 



The larger snakes should be skinned, as indicated hereafter, and 

 the skins thrown into alcohol. Much space will in this way be saved. 

 Smaller specimens may be preserved entire, togetlier with lizards, sal- 

 amanders, and small frogs. All of these that can be caught should 

 be secured and preserved. The head, the legs witii the feet^ the tail, 

 in fact the entire skin of turtles, may be preserved in alcohol; the 

 soft parts then extracted from the shell, wliich is to be washed and 

 dried. 



Every stream, and indeed, when pn.-sible, many localities in each 

 stream, should be explored for fishes, which are to be preserved as 

 directed. For these, as well as the uiiier alcoholic collections, the 

 lino bags are very useful. 



'Great attention should be paid to procuring many specimens of the 

 different kinds of small fishes, usually known as minnows, shiners, 



