Chut, xxiii. /'.■• ing Fish in Spirit, :'>ol 



specimens as close as herrings, and do nol leave any free space at 

 the top or on the sides of the box. Kill the box with spirit, taking 

 care to drive ont the air which may remain between the specimens, 

 and close it hermetically by soldering down the cover. The best 

 waj of closing the box is to make a small round hole in the cover of 

 the box. First fix down the cover of the box, then pour spirit 

 through the small hole, until the box is quite full This hole may 

 then be easily closed by another small square lid of tin. 



8. Turn the DOX upside down and see whether it keens in the 



spirit perfectly. 



9. Reptiles of every description may be preserved in the same 



way. However, as they naturally contain less fluid, it will be 

 sufficient to change the spirits once. 



in. The list should be prepared in duplicate, one copy being 



retained till the receipt of the other is acknowledged. The list 

 should contain the native names of the lish, and any information 

 of their habits, qualities, etc., that may be procurable. It should 

 state in particular whether the fish was caught in a tank or 



river. 



In India I have found it an advantage to add 1 in 40 of 

 carbolic acid to the spirit, and on one occasion on which I could 

 not get any spirit in the forest, the same solution in water 

 preserved the fish till I could get them to head-quarters, and put 

 them in spirits. Too great a strength of carbolic acid will shrivel 

 the scales. Any of it is objected to by some as injurious to the 

 colour; but as the colour of a dead fish is no guide at all to the 

 colour of the live fish, but rather misleads, 1 do oot consider that 

 objection a weighty one as regards fish. Your spirit may be as 

 strong as you like, there is no fear of overdoing that for either 

 your first, second or third bath. In tropical India it is safer to 

 have it strong enough and to spare. 



