56 Xatlrai. History Bui.i.etin. 



the dav was occupied in taking care of the material ah eadv 

 obtained. 



Mr. James E. Benedict, of the Smithsonian, had suggested 

 a means by which alcohohc specimens could be saved in good 

 condition without using anything like the ordinary amount of 

 alcohol. His plan was to use large tin pans in pairs, the rim 

 of one being slightly wider than that of the other. The wide- 

 rimmed pan is filled with specimens which have been in alco- 

 hol for two oc three days. The specimens are heaped up as 

 high as they can conveniently be placed, and then the pan 

 with the narrow rim is inverted over pan number one. The 

 rims are then carefull}- soldered together all around, so as to 

 be air-tight, and the specimens are safe for transportation, the 

 pans being much lighter, of course, than vessels of equal 

 capacity tilled with alcohol in the old wav. 



We found this plan to work admirablv to the great saving 

 of alcohol and weight. Large crinoids, especially, came 

 through in much better shape than if they had been allowed 

 to swash around in tanks. One important point, however, 

 should be remembered. The pans must be of good heavy tin 

 or they will rust through. Our collection suffered slightly 

 from the fact that part of our pans were of cheap tin. and 

 were rusted through before the end of the vo3age. The dam- 

 age was not from the specimens drving or decomposing so 

 much as from the rust making unsightlv spots upon the speci- 

 mens with which it came in contact. 



We tried both square and round pans, but preferred the 

 latter when of good quality, because thev are easier to solder 

 together than square pans, and are not so apt to leak from 

 careless workmanship. The pans, when filled, were crated 

 for transportation, in sets of five, but we found it necessary to 

 examine them occasionallv. so that any leakage could be 

 stopped with solder. 



On Wednesday, the 17th, a head wind again gave us an 

 excuse for dredging, with the result that many good speci- 

 mens were added to our collection. On the i8th and 19th the 

 vessel was delayed by squally weather, although some head- 



