26 COPEIA 



tive purposes. On the other hand, there is a paucity 

 of material in our collections which could have been 

 preserved easily and would have aided us greatly in 

 our studies. 



In the summers of 1912-14, while at Beaufort, 

 N. C, excellent opportunities were afforded for collect- 

 ing material, but very little time for studying it. This 

 directed attention to the minimum of material that 

 should be saved and the following plan developed: 



1. Make as detailed field notes and measure- 

 ments as time will permit. Include careful descrip- 

 tions of parts of head, form of fins and distinctive color- 

 markings. 



2. If provided with a camera, photograph lateral 

 view of entire fish and ventral surface of head includ- 

 ing pectorals. These often aid in checking measure- 

 ments and supply important details which may other- 

 wise be overlooked. 



3. Preserve a piece of shagreen from the middle 

 of the side below the first dorsal fin. A piece 3 inches 

 square is ample and may be preserved in alcohol in a 

 small vial or bottle, or dried. 



4. Remove the jaws entire. For doing this a 

 stout, sharp pocket or hunting knife is much more 

 satisfactory than an axe or cleaver and after a h'ttle 

 practice you will be surprised at the ease with which 

 it may be done. As soon as convenient the jaws should 

 be cleaned and dried. They are then easily shipped 

 by parcels post or express. 



When one is prepared to study the material col- 

 lected in the field, a small piece of the shagreen should 

 be permanently mounted on a dry cell. The denticles 

 may then be studied with the microscope after which 

 the slide may be filed for future comparisons. At 

 first one may be somewhat bewildered by the marked 

 similarity of denticles of various species. Others, 

 however, will be found with characters which are dis- 

 tinctive and by the process of elimination assistance 

 will be afforded. 



In studying the denticles it should be noted 

 whether they are close set, imbricated or more or less 

 scattered, whether uniform or variable in size, the 

 number and character of the keels on the outer surface 

 and the individual variation with age. 



