172 



95 per cent, alcohol, lour parts yiyceriiie. one part of formalin, and twenty 

 parts of water. In this solution preservation is secured without the brittle- 

 ness resulting from high per cent, alcohol. 



The method of this institution in caring for collections may prove 

 valuable to those interested in museum methods. Each catch is kept sepa- 

 rate and given an accessions number referring to all data concerning it, 

 which is entered in an accessions catalogue. The species are then sepa- 

 rated and bottled, with tags (similar to those attached) on the outside 

 ai<<' inside of the bottles. 



Ac. No. 

 Sp. No. 

 Jor. & Ev.No. 



Ac. No. 

 Sp. No. 

 Jor. & Ev. No. 



Those on the Inside are made of ledger paper and written with lead- 

 pencil; those for the outside are written with India ink. The tags bear 

 accessions number, a number referring to the species list of the labora- 

 tory, and a number referring to the species number in Jordan & Ever- 

 mann's "Fishes of North and Middle America." All bottles containing a 

 particular species are racked together in series according to accessions 

 number and placed in shelves. The racks used are wooden trays of two 

 sizes, the larger 41^x15 inches and meant to be wide enough to hold a two- 

 quart fruit jar. The smaller are for vials and small bottles, and are 2x13 

 inches. This arrangement is exceedingly convenient for ready reference 

 to any particular fish desii-ed. 



The plan of securing collections from volunteers in localities from 

 V hich materials were needed for study of geographical distribution, was 

 put in operation in April, 1900. It commends itself because of excellent 

 results secured and the comparatively light cost. Letters inviting co- 

 operation were sent to high school teachers and others, in localities that 

 had not already been covered by field work. To those responding were 

 sent two pairs of hip boots, a twenty-five foot minnow seine, a five-gallon 

 milk can and a quantity of formalin, with directions for catching, labeling 

 and preserving. In return for the service each collector receives a named 

 set of the fishes from his locality. As a result of the volunteer work of 

 the spring and summer a large triangular area lying between the Illinois 

 and Mississippi rivers as far north as a line from Peoria to Rock Island 

 was quite thorouglily worked, besides several other localities. Some col- 

 lectors made collections representing entire counties. 



