42 HANDBOOK OF SHELLS. 



the specimen spoilt. In some shells the 

 periostracum is very thick and coarse, and 

 must be removed before the shell itself can 

 be seen ; but it is always well to keep at 

 least one specimen in its rough state as an 

 example. In other shells the periostracum 

 is covered over with very fine, delicate 

 hairs (Helix sericea and Helix hispida> 



Fig. 3. (a) Helix sericea, Fig. 3), and great care must then be taken 



and (6) Helix kispida. not to brush these off> 



HOW TO MOUNT THE SHELLS FOR THE 

 CABINET. 



When the specimens are thoroughly cleaned, the next process 

 is to sort out the different kinds, placing each description in a 

 different tray, and then to get them ready for mounting, for no col- 

 lection will look well unless each kind is so arranged that it may be 

 seen to the best advantage, and is also carefully named. Where you 

 have a good number, pick out first the largest specimens of their 

 kind, then the smallest, then a series, as you have room for them, 

 of the most perfect ; and finally those which show any peculiarity 

 of structure or marking. Try, too, to get young forms as well as 

 adult, for the young are often very different in appearance from 

 the full-grown shell. Mark on them, especially on such as you 

 have found yourself, the locality they came from, as it is very 

 important to the shell collector to know this, since specimens 

 common enough in one district are often rare in another. Either 

 write the name of the place in ink on a corner of the shell itself, 

 or gum a small label just inside it, or simply number it, and write 

 the name of the place with a corresponding number against it in 

 a book kept for the purpose. Next select a tray large enough to 

 hold all you have of this kind ; place a piece of cotton wool at the 

 bottom, and lay your shells upon it. For small shells, however, 

 this method is not suitable, as the cotton wool acts on them like 

 a spring mattress, and they are liable on the least shock to be 

 jerked out of their trays and lost. This difficulty may be met by 

 cutting a piece of cardboard so that it just fits into your tray, and 

 then gumming the shells on to it in rows ; but remember that, in 

 this plan of mounting, it is impossible to take the shells up and 

 examine them on all sides as you do the loose ones, and so you 

 must mount a good many, and place them in many different 

 positions, so that they may be seen from as many points of view 



