TerrUl.] 258 



SOLUTIO' XO. IT. (ARSENICAL.) 



Water 1 gallon. 



Solution No. 1 1 quart. 



Arseniate of Potassa 2 oz. 



This solution should be used with care on account of its highly poi- 

 sonous nature, but from its strongly saline character there is no danger of 

 its being swallowed ignorantly. It will not usually need filtering. The 

 amount of arsenic may be diminished to one ounce, or less, per gallon, 

 in cold weather or for objects that are readily preserved, as all verte- 

 brates, except fishes, anatomical preparations, etc.; but for marine 

 invertebrates and larva) of insects, the full strength should be used. 

 Solution ]^o. 2., it must be remembered, is intended only for temporary 

 use while the object is being saturated loith the saline solution. 



To use these solutions the specimen should be placed in Xo. 2, 

 which may be diluted with even more water for vertebrates, in cool 

 weather, and allowed to remain for a few hours, or until the salts have 

 penetrated the tissues. It should then be transferred to another ves- 

 sel containing Solution No. 1, diluted with an equal amount of water. 

 After remaining in this until saturated with its salts, which may 

 usually be known by its sinking to the bottom, it maybe transferred to 

 a fresh portion of No. 1, and allowed to remain till it is desired to put 

 it up permanently, when it should be put into a new lot of the solu- 

 tion. The specimens should be kept under each of the liquids until 

 they become saturated, and sink of their own accord. The object of 

 making several transfers is to bring the strength up gradually, and 

 thus saturate all parts of the tissues uniformly, avoiding the contract- 

 ing and hardening of the exterior, which would be produced if placed 

 directly into the strongest solution. All kinds of preservative solu- 

 tions produce their best effects only when used in this way — alcohol 

 not excepted. 



Large specimens of fish, etc., should be opened upon one side of 

 the abdomen to admit the liquid more readily, and the intestines may 

 be injected. Many kinds of preparations may be permanently kept 

 in a solution of not more than half the strength of No. 1, if not too 

 much crowded, and well preserved when placed in it. To keep the 

 solution in glass jars permanently, the stoppers, whether of cork or 

 glass, should be coated with a solution of paraffine in benzine or 

 turpentine, or some similar preparation. The necks of the bottles 

 should also receive a coating of the same. Such a solution applied to 

 the staves of casks will render them impermeable to the solution. 



By means of this method we have succeeded in preserving larvaB 

 and pupa? of Sphingidaj, and other insects, with their natural color and 

 form remarkably perfect. It has also succeeded well for preparations 



