skins, can be procured with less difficulty, and are frequently col- 

 lected by persons not specially interested in scientific pursuits. 



In gathering specimens of any kind, it is important to fix with 

 the utmost precision the localities where found. This is especially 

 desirable in reference to fishes and other aquatic animals, as they 

 occupy a very intimate relation to the waters in which they live. 



The surest way of procuring the smaller mammals, as rats, mice, 

 &c., is by setting traps in places where such animals may be ex- 

 pected to resort. A common mouse trap placed near the runs of 

 meadow mice and baited with corn, potato, cheese, or other 

 attractive substances, will often reveal the existence in numbers, 

 of species whose presence was previously unknown. Corn shocks, 

 stacks of hay, piles of rails, wood or stones, old stumps or logs, when 

 overturned or removed, will often exhibit these mammals in greater 

 or less number. They are also often turned up by the plough, 

 spade, or pick. 



Wolves, foxes, bears, and in fact most mammals can be obtained 

 by placing strychnine on their favorite food. 



There are two principal methods of preserving mammals ; one 

 by skinning, the other by throwing entire into alcohol. The skin, 

 when removed from the body, as directed hereafter, may be pre- 

 pared dry with arsenic, or placed in spirits ; or if the animal be of 

 small size, it may be thrown entire into alcohol, but an incision 

 should always be made into the abdomen to facilitate the entrance 

 of the liquid. The skin of the belly should also be separated from 

 the subjacent walls of the abdomen. For purposes of examinaliou 

 it will be more convenient to have the skull removed entirely from 

 the skin, when this is to be prepared dry ; but care should be 

 taken to attach corresponding marks to the two, so that they may 

 be readily referred one to the other. The skull may then be pre- 

 served by boiling, or by cutting away the muscle, and drying, or 

 by immersion in alcohol ; in any case great care should be taken 

 not to cut or mutilate any part of the bone, as its value would 

 thereby be impaired. Separate skulls in any number, are always 

 desirable. Where several specimens of a species are collected, the 

 skulls of some may be left attached to the skin. 



It will be well to preserve specimens of the smaller species, 

 both as dry skins, and in alcohol. 



It is very important to have the locality of specimens care- 

 fully noted and transmitted ; and if possible, the date of capture, 



