114 METHODS OF COLLECTING AND PRESERVINa 



removed from this mixture the moment they are killed, since the ccid 

 will quickly attack the calcareous spicules, which are important for 

 the identification of the Alcyonaria, and placed in 35 per cent, or 

 50 per cent, alcohol ; it is well to inject the alcohol into the mouths 

 of the polyps to keep them fully expanded. The preparation should 

 finally be preserved in 70 per cent, alcohol. 



Regarding the Sea Anemones, no definite rule for preservation 

 can be given. Much of the success of the preparation depends on 

 the form employed, some species contracting much less readily and 

 less perfectly than others. Some may be killed in a fair condition 

 by pouring over them boiling corrosive sublimate, and then, before 

 consigning them to alcohol, treating for a few minutes with 

 0*5 per cent, chromic acid. 



Stony Corals should be allowed to expand fully, and should then 

 be killed with boiling solution of corrosive sublimate and acetic acid 

 used in volume equal to that of sea-water containing the coral. 

 The colony should then be transferred to 35 per cent, alcohol, some 

 of this fluid being, if possible, injected into the mouth of each 

 polyp. The injection should be repeated at every change of the 

 alcohol, and the specimens should be preserved in 70 per cent, 

 alcohol, after washing them well in iodized alcohol. 



Professor Hickson writes, in reference to the Alcyonarian Corals, 

 as follows : — All Stolonifera, including Tub%i^ora, preserve well in 

 spirit. Tuhiqmra and some of the large Claim/arias, however, hold 

 in their cavities a large amount of sea-water, and consequently the 

 spirit in the bottle soon becomes weak, and must be changed once 

 or twice. 



The only satisfactory way of killing Tubvpora expanded is to throw 

 a concentrated solution of corrosive sublimate on to a colony when 

 expanded in a shallow pool on the reef ; but if expanded colonies are 

 removed as rapidly as possible from their position and plunged into 

 strong spirit, the polyps are killed partially expanded in a manner 

 useful for investigation. 



Thick coriaceous Alcyonarians, like Alcyonium or Sarcophytum, 

 are capable of contracting so tightly that spirit and other preserva- 

 tives fail altogether to penetrate their tissues, unless special care 

 be taken. Nearly all specimens taken from a dredge and placed 



