68 Our British Snails 



be buried, if time permits, in sand, or other dry 

 material, until the animal dries up (in small shells) 

 or rots (in large specimens) ; or they may be 

 drowned in cold fresh water, and hung up in 

 the air to dry or rot away. In the former case, 

 if an operculum (with which some species, both 

 marine and land, close their mouths, more or 

 less partially) exists, it will, generally in the case 

 of land shells, remain in its place, adhering to 

 the shell. In the latter, the decayed matter 

 should be w^ashed out, and the operculum, if any, 

 replaced and fixed, say, on cotton filling the shell. 

 This applies equally to land shells. 



3. Care should be taken not to injure the 

 edge or lip of the mouth of univalves, or the 

 ligament of the hinge of bivalves. When bivalves 

 gape on dying in water, or if the ligament be 

 broken, the valves should be closed and tied 

 together. If the ligament of a gaping bivalve 

 should become dry and stiff, it can be softened 

 by putting it in water. 



4. The localities in which each species is found 

 should be noted, and, in the case of dredging, the 

 depth of water. 



With regard to the mode of packing Shells for 

 Transport. 



All solid shells may be wrapped in one or two 

 folds of paper of any kind. Fragile and minute 



