NOTES ON COLLECTING MINERALS. 141 



the specimen belonged is preserved, the specimen itself generally 

 becomes valueless ; for this and other reasons water- worn pebbles 

 are not worthy of transport. Hence it is important to specify as 

 precisely as possible the place from which each specimen has been 

 broken, and also to take precautions against the possibility of a 

 subsequent confusion of the specimens. For this purpose a gummed 

 label should be fastened on each specimen immediately after it has 

 been trimmed, and a number should be written thereon referring to 

 a corresponding entry in a note-book in which all the memoranda 

 relative to the locality and the specimen are recorded : among 

 these may be included the hour and the date when the specimen 

 was got, as giving a rough indication of the relative positions of the 

 different masses on the line of route. The specimen should then be 

 wrapped in newspaper to prevent friction with others ; and as a 

 measure of precaution against the loss of the note-book and also as 

 a convenience, the locality should be specified on the inside edge of 

 the wrapper. It is also convenient if the wrappers of specimens 

 from each particular district are distinguished by some external 

 mark. 



The specimens may be stowed in manilla bags, which are then 

 sewn sufficiently tightly to prevent the shaking about of the contents. 

 Wooden boxes should be small and strong, for large boxes containing 

 rock-specimens are almost unmanageable during transport. Paper 

 or straw makes good packing-material ; but sawdust is useless, as the 

 specimens accumulate at the bottom of the box with the sawdust 

 above them. 



A mineral specimen comprising delicate crystals should be wrapped 

 first of all in soft tissue-paper, next in cotton-wool, and lastly in 

 newspaper; it may then be enclosed separately in a small box, 

 which may be put with others in a larger one. 



Before collecting specimens which offer such difficulties as regards 

 transport, the traveller will do well to spend some time in the 

 Mineral Gallery, and to see for himself the kind of material which 

 is found useful for exhibition and study. 



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