22 IOWA STUDIES IN NATURAL HISTORY 
We also took along a quantity of other bottles, mostly of 
small sizes, including a stock of homeopathic vials. These 
were wrapped and packed in wooden boxes of various sorts, 
nearly all of them coming through intact. We made a mistake, 
however, in not taking a quantity of Mason jars, thinking that 
they could be purchased at the excellent stores in Bridgetown. 
This we found to be an error, as very few were to be had and 
the price was outrageously high. 
For preservatives we depended, of course, upon alcohol and 
formalin, taking a fifty gallon barrel of the former and over 
one hundred pounds of the latter. As a matter of fact, we 
took too little of each, but managed to patch out by local 
purchases. 
The square pans which we found so useful in connection with 
the Bahama Expedition were provided for the present enter- 
prise. These were made of galvanized iron, in pairs, the rim of 
one being larger than the other so that the latter could be in- 
verted over the former and their rims soldered together. After 
specimens are hardened a few days in alcohol, they can be 
heaped in the lower pan, a little packing wet with alcohol being 
added; the alcohol contained in the specimens and packing be- 
ing sufficient to preserve the contents which are hermetically 
sealed in the pairs of pans. As a matter of fact, we used only a 
few of the pans in this way. They were exceedingly useful in 
another way, however, being very handy as receptacles for assort- 
ing specimens when parties returned from collecting either with 
the launch or in shallow water; in placing specimens to harden 
and for various laboratory purposes. They nest easily for trans- 
portation and are really indispensable in the outfit of such an ex- 
pedition. Dr. Fisher remarked that they were the most useful 
part of the equipment. 
Chemicals for special methods of killing and preserving for 
later histological studies were included in the work laid out 
for the Committee on Laboratory. 
Of course a great quantity of labels were taken along, both 
for dredging and shore stations. These were printed on good 
stiff paper and all bore the legend ‘‘Barbados-Antigua Expedi- 
tion.’’ Many of them were perforated at one end for a string 
by which they could be tied to specimens, this string being of 
