On Mounting Crustacea. 79 
once, whilst if it be slowly, carefully, and at the same time 
thoroughly dried, it will always preserve its life-like appearance, 
if kept in the dark. The reason why the specimens in the 
show cases of museums cannot keep their colour, but always 
bleach, is that they are constantly exposed to the light. When 
the carapace is sufficently thin, cotton wool of a suitable 
colour may be introduced with great advantage to bring about 
the desired tint. In the case of lobsters or crayfish, the 
abdominal segments should be carefully separated from the 
thorax, and the same treatment followed as in the case of 
crabs, except that the antenne should be turned back and not 
allowed to project forward, in which position they are liable to 
get broken off; imperfect specimens should always be kept, as 
two bad ones of a size will often make one good one. Small 
crustacea of all kinds may be set up as they are, but as much 
as possible of the flesh of even small ones should be removed, 
as the result is always more satisfactory. The flesh may be 
got out of the claws of larger specimens by means of an iron 
wire bent at right angles for about three-sixteenths of an inch 
and flattened ; but if it should be necessary to remove a limb 
it can be readily replaced with cement. I have never varnished 
or glazed specimens in any way, but I think that a varnish 
drying very hard, but with a very slight and colourless glaze, 
would be of great advantage, and I should be glad to hear if 
such a varnish is obtainable. 
The importance of recording when and where the specimens 
were caught, the time of year, their size and apparent age, 
were dwelt upon, as the reader had found that many species 
considered by Bell and others to be very rare were exceedingly 
abundant in even limited localities, a sandbank near the Nore 
yielding numerous varieties presumed to be scarce. The best 
works on the subject are those by Leach, Milne, Edwards, 
Bell, and White, with a very useful handbook in Gosse’s 
“‘Marine Zoology.” 
In conclusion, Mr. Lovett expressed the pleasure it would . 
afford him to give all the information in his power to any 
member of the club who required it. 
