I 



345 



taught that it is wiser to make a separate biologic collection, aud this 

 it is pi-oposed to do. This collection will, iu fact, be a feature of the 

 Museum collectiou iu the future. Hence it was very desirable to adopt 

 some method of securing the vials in such a manner that they can easily 

 be moved from one place to another, aud fastened in the ordinary 

 boxes and drawers employed for pinned insects. The vials in use to 

 preserve such specimeus as must be left iu alcohol or other liquids are 

 straight glass tubes of varying diameters and lengths with round bot- 

 tom and smooth, even mouth. The stopples in use are of rubber, which, 

 when tightly put into the vial, the air being nearly all expelled, keep 

 the contents of the vial intact and safe for years. 



Various forms of bottles are used in museums for the preservation of 

 minute alcoholic material. I have tried the flattened and the square and 

 have studied various other forms of these vials; but I am satisfied that 

 those just described, which are iu use by Dr. Hageu in the Cambridge 

 Museum, are, all things considered, the most convenient and econom- 

 ical. A more difificult problem to solve was a convenient and satisfac- 

 tory method of holding these vials and of fastening them into drawers 

 or cases held at all angles, from perpendicular to horizontal. Most alco- 

 holic collections are simply kept standing, either iu tubes with broad 

 bases or in tubes held iu wooden or other receptacles ; but for a biologic 

 collection of insects something that could be used iu connection with 

 the pinned specimens and that could easily be removed, as above 

 set forth, was desirable. After trying many different contrivances l 

 tinally prepared a block, with Mr. Hawley's assistance, which answers 

 every purpose of simplicity, neatness, security, aud couv^enience. It is, 

 so far as I know, unique, and will be of advantage for the same purpose 

 to other museums. Hence I have concluded iu this report to give a 

 brief description of it. It has been iu use now for the past three years, 

 and has been of great help and satisfaction in the arrangement and pres- 

 ervation of the alcoholic specimens. 



The blocks are oblong, one-fourth of an inch thick, the ends [c c, fig. 

 66) beveled, the sides either beveled or straight, the latter preferable 

 They vary in length and breadth, according to the different sizes of 

 the vials, and are painted white. Upon the upper side of these blocks 

 are fastened two curved clamps of music wire {b b), forming about two- 

 thirds of a complete circle. The fastening to the block is simple aud 

 secure. A bit of the wire of proper length is first doubled and then, 

 by a special contrivance, the two ends are bent around a mandrel so as 

 to form an insertion point or loop. A brad-awl is used to make a slot in 

 the block into which this loop is forced (e, fig. (j6, 5), a drop of warm 

 water being first put into the slot to soften the wood, which swells and 

 closes so firmly around the wire that considerable force is required to 

 pull it out. Four pointed wire nails {d d d d), set into the bottom so as 

 to project about one-fourth inch, serve to hold the block to the cork 

 bottom of the case or drawer iu which it is to be placed. The method 



