240 NATURAL HISTORY. 



15. Paper for wrapping up the skins of birds and small quadrupeds, 

 each separately. The paper supplied for botanical purposes will 

 answer for this. 



16. Butcher-knife, scissors, needles, and thread, for skinning and 

 sewing up animals. 



1 1. Blank labels of paper with strings attached for marking locali- 

 ties, sex, &c., and tying to the legs of the dried skins, or to the stems 

 of plants. 



18. Portfolio for collecting plants. 



19. Press for drying plants between the blotting paper. Pressure 

 is applied by straps. 



20. Very absorbent paper for drying plants. 



21. Stifter paper for collecting plants in the field. The same paper 

 may be used for wrapping skins of birds and quadrupeds, as well as 

 minerals and fossils. 



22. Small bottles for collecting and preserving insects. 



23. Geological hammer. 



24. Double-barrelled gun and rifle. 



25. Fine shot for small birds and mammals. Numbers 3, 6, and 9, 

 are proper sizes: the latter should always be taken. 



26. A pocket case of dissecting instruments will be very convenient. 



27. Blowpipe apparatus for mineralogical examinations. 



28. Pocket vial for insects. 



29. Bottle of ether for killing insects. 



30. Insect pins. 



31. Cork-lined boxes. 



§11. INSTRUMENTS, PRESERVATIVE MATERIALS, &c. 



1. IMPLEMENTS FOR SKINNING. 



The implements generally required in skinning vertebrated animals 

 are: A sharp knife or a scalpel. 2. A pair of sharp-pointed scissors, 

 and one with strong short blades. 3. Needles and thread for sewing 

 up the incisions in the skin. 4. A hook by which to suspend the car- 

 cass of the animal during the operation of skinning. To prepare the 

 hook, take a string, of I'rom one to three feet in length, and fasten one 

 end of it to a stout fish-hook which has had the barb broken off. By 

 means of a looj) at the other end, the string may be suspended to a 

 nail or awl, which, when the hook is inserted into the body of an 

 animal, will give free use of both hands in the operation of skinning. 



2. rKESERVATIVES. 



The best material for the preservation of skins of animals consists 

 of powdered arsenious acid, or the common arsenic of the shops. This 

 may be used in two ways, either applied in dry powder to the moist 

 skin, or else mixed with alcohol or water to the consistency of molas- 

 ses, and put on with a brush. A little camphor may be added to the 

 alcoholic solution. There are no satisfactory substitutes for arsenic 



