68 THE NATURALIST'S GUIDE. 



Upon arriving home, and opening the box, I found that 

 the jar had become broken, and the liquid had escaped. 

 The smaller reptiles, etc. I placed in alcohol ; but a rep- 

 tile known as the " Glass Snake " and a young Rabbit 

 were left out for want of room, set away and forgotten. 

 Upon looking them up about a month afterwards, I found, 

 to iny surprise, that the " snake " had dried completely 

 without shrinking in the least, and, moreover, it retained all 

 the peculiar glossiness of life! The Rabbit had not shrunk 

 any more than if it had been in strong alcohol. 



Such is the result of an accident. Whether this discov- 

 ery will prove of general practical use in preserving reptiles 

 is yet to be proven. 



