306 NATUEAL HISTORY OF OUR SHORES 



cubes of about half-an-inch square taking care to have 

 one side showing the surface of the sponge, and put these 

 right off into a bottle of methylated spirit. Label with 

 name, etc. 



Sponges intended to show entire, as museum specimens, 

 can be preserved either dry or in fluid, but the latter is 

 much the better way of showing them, for although they 

 lose colour, to great extent, they retain their structure, 

 which is the most important point. Either methylated 

 spirit or a solution of formalin, one in ten of water, will do. 

 Clean them well, and place each species in a separate jar. 

 The fluid will have to be changed several times before they 

 are finally sealed up, so it is a good plan just to cork the 

 bottle without sealing, or to tie a piece of bladder, previously 

 damped, over the mouth. 



If the sponge is limp, and tends to collapse to the bottom, 

 or if the preparation consists of small sponges attached to 

 weeds or other objects, a piece of mica cut to fit upright in 

 the jar is needed, the specimen being fastened to it with a 

 stitch or two of fine thread so placed as not to show to the 

 front. 



Formalin is as good as spirit for all but the little Calci 

 sponges, and it requires few changes before remaining clear. 



The Ccelenterates. These are the most difficult things 

 there are to preserve in such a way as to retain their natural 

 form and appearance. For instance, the beautiful Anemones, 

 that so delight the eye in the rock pools, have never been 

 satisfactorily preserved, either in form or colour. Attempts 

 to kill them with tentacles expanded anaesthetics, freezing, 

 suddenly plunging into hot solutions of hardening acids, 

 etc. have all resulted in at least partial failure : they 

 always draw in their tentacles. 



There is, however, one exception. The " Opelet " (Anthea 

 cereus'ox *Anemonia sulcata), which does not readily close 

 up (hence its popular name), may be preserved so as to 



