THE MUSEUM. 



119 



part of the United States the nimiber 

 o( species are not great, but in the 

 south and middle west the variety is 

 ahncst endless. They inhabit lakes, 

 riri-rs and canals. Small semi-aquat- 

 ic mammals feed on them in abund- 

 ance. Lar^e quantities of them are 

 now used in manufacturing pearl but- 

 tons and other pearl articles, and im- 

 mense numbers of the shells in Wis- 

 consin, Iowa, and other states through 

 the Mississippi valley h.ive been col- 

 lected and examined in search of pearls. 

 The shells are usually found partly 

 burieci in the mud or gravel. Having 

 now spoken of most of the classes of 

 shells one will be apt to find, we will 

 turn our attention to 



Collecting. — To collect Land Shells, 

 small tm boxes are suitable. It is 

 best to have several, so one may keep 

 different sizes by themselves to some 

 extent. A very little experience will 

 enable one to tell a young shell from a 

 mature specimen. It is best not to 

 C'jllect many of the former, but leave 

 them for some future visit. One 

 should always be provided with a small 

 bottle of alcohol and put all minute 

 forms into this. A small pair of 

 tweezers is very handy to handle them 

 with, as many are very fragile. Many 

 of the small aquatic species are handled 

 best in this manner. The small "Fresh 

 Water Limpets" before mentioned, 

 can be handled best with a blade of a 

 knife, when they may be removed to 

 the bottle. Many aquatic species may 

 be rapidly gathered with a dipper, 

 which is perforated in the bottom A 

 jointed handle may be fitted to it, and 

 thus be used in a variety of stations. 

 .After dipping up some mud, it can be 

 jently washed away in the water, and 

 the shells that remain in the bottom of 

 the dipper removed to a pail partly 

 filled with water The Fresh Water 

 Mussels can usually be collected with 

 the hand where the water is shallow, 

 and a market basket will be found 

 handy to put them in. In places 

 where it is inconvenient or impossible 

 to wade, a rake with a long handle 



will bo found handy. One of greater 

 utility can be made having curved 

 teeth, and with teeth in the end. An 

 instrument of this character can be 

 used from a boat handily in ten to 

 fifteen feet of water. When a species 

 is found abundant, it is best to collect 

 a large number, as the habits of many 

 species are affected by inappreciable 

 intluences, and often those that were 

 most abundant, cease to be so, much 

 to the disappointment of the collector. 

 Preparation of Specimens — The 

 large shells of all kinds, down to one- 

 half an inch in diameter, may have the 

 soft parts removed easily by pouring 

 boiling water over them, and using a 

 small metalic hook. The smaller sorts 

 best be put in alcohol when first col- 

 lected, and after 24 hours then may 

 be removed and dried in the sun. The 

 reason of this treatment is, that the 

 alcohol causes the soft parts to con- 

 tract into the smallest possible space 

 within the shell, and also dries up 

 when in the sun more readily, and 

 with less of the offensive odor of de- 

 composition than svhcn dried in the 

 usual manner. Also the shells pre- 

 sent a more cleanly appearance after 

 alcoholic treatment. If a weak solu- 

 tion of alcohol is used they may re- 

 main in it for two or three days. The 

 best way to remove dirt and mud from 

 small shells that are too minute to 

 handle, is to place them in a small 

 dish or vial, and put in equal parts of 

 clear sand, such as one finds on our 

 large lakes or ocean. By agitating 

 the vial or dish in a rotary motion for 

 a few moments, the friction of the 

 shells and sand will very quickly 

 brighten the surface of the shells. 

 This may be done before the animal is 

 removed or before their treatment 

 with alcohol if desired. 



Preparation of Starfish. 



Having had many inquiries from 

 Coast collectors and those intending 

 to visit the Coast, how to prepare the 

 little starfishes, we recommend the 

 following: 



