LABORATORY METHODS aai 



was very useful for echinoderms, sponges and other bulky organisms. The vacuum 

 system appears to do no harm to zoological specimens — it may even assist in the pene- 

 tration of the preserving fluid — but in practice it proved troublesome. When a bottle 

 was first closed a slight leakage frequently occurred and this, in time, would break 

 the vacuum and allow the lid to fall off. To seal the bottles properly required much 

 care, but when once it had been done they remained tight indefinitely. All the bottles 

 were stored in partitioned boxes hned with thick felt (see p. 170). 



Larger specimens were preserved in stoneware jars and tanks. The jars were made 

 by Messrs Price, Powell and Co. of Bristol and were of 3 gallon capacity, with mouth 

 6 in. in diameter. The stoneware lid was kept tight by means of a rubber washer and 

 iron tri-radiate screw clamp. The tanks were of two sizes, some 30 x 18 x 18 in. and 

 some 48 X 18 X 12 in. ; they were mostly of cast iron, made by Messrs T. and C. Clark 

 and Co. of Wolverhampton, but a few of the 30-in. size were of welded steel. The steel 

 tank is preferable to the cast iron because of its greater lightness; it is, however, much 

 more expensive. All the tanks were stove-enamelled inside; a flange round the upper 

 edge matched a similar flange on the lid, and between the two there was a thick rubber 

 washer cut in one piece. The lid was kept tight by a large number of bolts and fly-nuts 

 passing through both flanges and the washer. Two large rings were attached to each 

 side, and through these rings poles could be passed when it was necessary to move the 

 tanks. The shorter tanks were each fitted with four trays, with sides made of teak, 

 pegged together with wood, and with cane bottoms. They were provided in order that 

 the upper layers of specimens should not crush those below and in this respect proved 

 very useful. It was found, however, that teak, when soaked in spirit, gives out a 

 dark brown colouring matter and that several changes are necessary before all has been 

 extracted. Possibly some other wood is to be preferred, for there seem to be strong 

 objections to the use of any form of metal in trays which are to be used with both spirit 

 and formalin. 



To accommodate the large number of specimens obtained during her trawling survey 

 six of these tanks were installed in the 'William Scoresby'. In the 'Discovery' three 

 were taken and spares were kept at the Marine Biological Station in South Georgia. 



Heav-y wooden boxes, 8 ft. in length, 2| ft. in breadth and zh ft. in depth were carried 

 on both vessels for salting porpoises. The seams were caulked and each had a plug 

 in the bottom for drainage and a light lid. 



Labels, Log Books, etc. Printed labels used for specimens were of 10 sizes, varying 

 from 7 -s 2i in. to i x ^ in. They were of heavy paper of the best quality^ and had 

 spaces for station number, date, net and depth of net. The type of net was specified 

 by means of the symbols shown at the beginning of the Station List {supra, p. 3). 

 As a help in sorting, the name of the group, family or genus to which the specimens 

 belonged was written in the lower left-hand corner, and occasionally a note was added 



^ The paper adopted after some preliminary experiment was that known as "Antique parchment, cream 

 wove", supplied by Messrs Waterlow and Sons, Ltd. 



