3o5 Vrefervathn of Birds and Quadrupeds hy 'Efher'. 



through the mouth or bill ; and when the bowels have been 

 filled with it, the animal is to be hung up by the head. One 

 of the eyes nui(t then be fcoopcd out, and the brain extratSled : 

 after which the head is alfo filled with ether, which mufl be 

 prevented from cfcaping bv plugging up the eye-hole. On 

 the fecond or third day the injc61:ing of ether is to be repeated, 

 and this procefs is to be continued till the animal be com- 

 pletely dried. 



While the animal is gradually drying, care muft be taken 

 to give to the body its proper pofition, and as foon as it is 

 completely deficcated it may be put up without further care 

 or any other preparation. A fmall female papajay, prepared 

 according to this method in the year 1782, was loft behind 

 the (helves of a library, and remained there two years with- 

 out its folidity or form being in the leaft changed. This pro- 

 cefs for preferving animals feems to be attended with con- 

 fiderable advantages. C. Fouchy, of Montpellier, fays 

 C. Chaptal, who has made ornithology his particular ftudy, 

 recommended fpirit of wine, a few years ago, for the fame 

 purpofe; but as foon as the fpirit of this liquid has evaporated, 

 the remainhig aqueous part promotes corruption in a very 

 great degree; whereas ether^ by its evaporation, carries with 

 it not only its own aqueous particles, but thofe alfo which it 

 abforbs from the body. Befides, this method neither deftroys 

 the form of the animal nor tarniflies the fplendour of the 

 feathers or hair, and is exceedingly cheap: one ounce of ether 

 is in general fufticient for a fmall bird. A large papajay re- 

 quired only one ounce and a half. As the procefs is attended 

 with fo little expence, it may be ufcd for animals of a con- 

 ^derable fize. 



C. Chaptal remarks, that in regard to animals which have 

 been wounded, and on that account have apertures in their 

 bodies which cannot be (liut fo well as the natural apertures, 

 the procefs is more difficult, and attended with greater trouble, 

 as they are lefs capable of containing the ether. Such ani- 

 mals, therefore, muft be chofen for prefervation as have died 

 a natural death, or as have been killed by being ftrangled, 

 The procefs will be performed fooner or more flowly accords 

 6 ing 



