HOUSEHOLD HINTS. 



Sympathetic Inks. These are preparations used 

 for writing on paper, the marks of which are in- 

 visible until acted upon by some re-agent. They 

 are frequently employed in secret or playful cor- 

 respondence. By heating the paper until it is 

 nearly scorched, they may be rendered visible. 

 The following may serve as specimens : 



i. Sulphate of copper and sal-ammoniac, equal 

 parts, dissolved in water writes colourless, but 

 turns yellow when heated. 2. Onion-juice like 

 the last. 3. A weak infusion of galls turns black 

 when moistened with weak copperas-water. 4. A 

 weak solution of sulphate of iron turns blue when 

 moistened with a weak solution of prussiate of 

 potash black, with infusion of galls. 5. The 

 diluted solutions of nitrate of silver and terchloride 

 of gold darken when exposed to the sunlight. 6. 

 Dilute sulphuric acid turns black when heated. 



7. Solution of nitro-muriate of cobalt turns green 

 when heated, and disappears again on cooling. 



8. Solution of acetate of cobalt, to which a little 

 nitre has been added becomes rose-coloured when 

 heated, and disappears again on being cooled. 



Incorrodible and Indelible Inks. Genuine as- 

 phaltum, one part ; oil of turpentine, four parts ; 

 dissolve, and add lampblack or black-lead to bring 

 it to a proper consistence. Or asphaltum, one 

 part ; oil of turpentine, four parts ; dissolve, and 

 colour with printer's ink, which any printer will 

 sell by way of favour. These inks supply a cheap 

 and excellent material for marking linen, &c. 

 They are very permanent. They should be em- 

 ployed with stamps or types. The marking-inks 

 of the shops generally consist of preparations of 

 nitrate of silver. One of these inks may be pre- 

 pared as follows : Nitrate of silver, i to 2 

 drachms ; water, three-fourths of an ounce ; dis- 

 solve ; add as much of the strongest ammonia- 

 water as will dissolve the precipitate formed on 

 its first addition ; then further, add mucilage I 

 or 2 drachms, and a little sap-green to colour. 

 Writing executed with this ink turns black on 

 being passed over a hot Italian-iron. 



Common Inks and Writing Fluids, for which 

 there are so many recipes, can be obtained so 

 cheaply, and of such excellent quality, that it 

 would be waste of time to attempt their manufac- 

 ture for domestic use. An excellent ink, suitable 

 for writing with steel-pens, which it does not 

 corrode, may be made of the following articles : 

 Galls, i ounce ; sulphate of iron, 2 drachms ; sul- 

 phate of indigo, 3 drachms ; sulphuric acid, 5 

 drops ; water, 8 ounces ; carbolic acid, 5 minims. 

 Copying-ink is prepared by adding a little sugar 

 to ordinary black ink. 



Writing rendered illegible by age may be restored 

 by moistening it by means of a feather with an 

 infusion of galls, or a solution of prussiate of 

 potash slightly acidulated with muriatic acid, 

 observing so to apply the liquid as to prevent the 

 ink from spreading. 



Pints and Quarts. Much confusion is frequently 

 caused by a misunderstanding as to what is meant 

 by a pint and a quart. It should be understood 

 that a reputed pint bottle holds only about 12 

 ounces, and a reputed quart about 24 ounces ; 

 while an actual pint and quart are respectively 

 20 and 40 ounces. A tea-spoon is understood 

 to hold a drachm, or 60 drops ; a dessert-spoon, 

 2 drachms ; a table-spoon, half an ounce ; and a 

 wine-glass, 2 ounces. 



CABINET COLLECTIONS. 



Taxidermy so called from the Greek tarts, 

 order, and derma, skin is the art of arranging, 

 preparing, and preserving the skins and other 

 exuviae of animals, so as to represent their natural 

 appearance. It embraces the entire art of pre- 

 paring the skins of quadrupeds, the stuffing of 

 birds and fishes, the mounting of insects, the clean- 

 ing and arranging of shells and zoophytes in fine, 

 the preparation and preservation of specimens in 

 every department of the animal kingdom. Much 

 of this lies, of course, beyond the circle of domestic 

 economy ; but many persons who have cabinets 

 so arranged allow them to fall into ruin and dis- 

 order for want of proper cleaning and attention. 

 Skins of quadrupeds and birds, whether mounted 

 or not, should be kept free from dust either by 

 being placed in cabinets, in glass-cases, or under 

 glass-shades ; when dusty, use bellows, and handle 

 as little as possible. Arsenical soap, corrosive sub- 

 limate, and oil of turpentine, are the preservative 

 preparations ; and when a skin is once thoroughly 

 dried, it may be preserved from putrefaction by 

 being kept dry afterwards. Small bags of cam- 

 phor laid in cabinets assist in warding off moths 

 and other insects ; but even with this, the speci- 

 mens will require to be occasionally examined. 

 Should insects have commenced their attacks on 

 any specimen, the only chance of further preser- 

 vation is to bake it thoroughly in an oven. Bones 

 which have lost their whiteness may have it 

 restored by immersion for ten or twelve hours in 

 a weak solution of chloride of lime ; and if oily, a 

 little soda should be added to the solution. To 

 obtain the skeleton of a small animal, bait the 

 carcass with honey, and lay it near the nests of 

 ants or wasps ; in a few days it will be picked 

 clean. Insects, which are usually mounted on 

 pins in flat trays with cork bottoms, or are kept 

 in pill-boxes, test-tubes, and quills, require very 

 delicate handling. Once in possession of a col- 

 lection, keep it dry and free from dust, and disturb 

 the specimens as little as possible, as they are not 

 only extremely fragile, but are apt to lose the rich 

 downy covering of their wings, which gives them 

 colour and beauty. To ward off the attacks of 

 mites, keep a supply of camphor, or sponge 

 dipped in spirit of turpentine, in each tray ; and 

 if these harpies should appear, bake before a 

 slow fire, or take equal parts of oil of anise, oil 

 of thyme, and alcohol ; mix, and apply a drop to 

 the infected specimen. When large-bodied speci- 

 mens become greasy, dip in spirits of turpentine, 

 and dry with calcined magnesia, which can after- 

 wards be blown off. In collecting sheik, kill the 

 animal by gradual immersion in not water ; and 

 remove it with the point of a knife or crooked 

 pin. Retain the operculum of univalves ; and tie 

 the bivalves together after the animal has been 

 removed. Marine shells should be steeped in 

 fresh water for several hours, to remove all saline 

 matter which would afterwards deliquesce. Re- 

 move all extraneous matter, as sea-weed, scrpular, 

 and the like, with the knife or brush. Dead 

 shells, or those picked up along shore, have often 

 a tarnished appearance ; this may be remedied 

 by applying a little olive-oil with a brush. Polish 

 ing and whitening with acids is a barbarity 

 worthy only of the dealer in curiosities. No 



