498 PREPARATION AND PRESERVATION 



the superintendence of the able Professor of Natural History, 

 has within a few years become an extensive and valuable col- 

 lection. There existed, indeed, in that seminary, a very conside- 

 rable museum for the time, formed by Sir Andrew Balfour and 

 Sir Robert Sibbald, about a century ago ; but long before the 

 present Professor was called to the chair, it had disappeared, and 

 Professor Jameson has the sole merit of establishing this Mu- 

 seum by his personal exertions, and of extending a taste for the 

 Science of Nature, which has rendered the University of Edin- 

 burgh in this particular the first in the kingdom. 



Preparatory to giving a short account of the manner in which 

 the different objects described in this and the following volume 

 may be prepared or kept, it may be necessary, for the use of 

 those visiting distant countries, to state at what a trifling ex- 

 pence of time and labour many interesting objects may be put 

 up, so as to insure their transmission home without injury. 

 For this purpose, we avail ourselves of a paper of directions 

 which the eminent Professor above alluded to drew up some 

 years ago for the use of his pupils, as conveying in a few senten- 

 ces, most of what is in this respect desirable to be known. 



" Quadrupeds and Birds. Quadrupeds and birds to be preserv- 

 ed by taking off their skins, which may be easily done, by making 

 an incision in a straight line, from the vent to the throat, and re- 

 moving the skin by means of a blunt knife. The skull and bones 

 of the legs and feet are to be left. The brain, eyes, and tongue, 

 ought also to be extracted. The skin, in order that it may be pre- 

 served from decay, should be also rubbed on the inside with some 

 one of the following compositions : 1st, tanners' bark well dried 

 and pounded, one part ; burnt alum, one part ; and in a hot cli- 

 mate one part of sulphur ; to he well mixed together. 2d, tanners' 

 bark well dried and pounded, one part ; tobacco, perfectly dried, 

 one part ; burnt alum, one part : add to every ounce of these in- 

 gredients one ounce of camphor, and half an ounce of sulphur. 

 (N. B. No sublimate or arsenic ought to be put on the skins, as 

 both substances destroy their texture.) These compositions to be 

 kept for use in well corked bottles or jars. 



" Skins, when thus prepared, and perfectly dry, must be packed 

 carefully in boxes, the lids of which ought to be pasted up, and in 

 the paste used in fixing the paper, a little corrosive sublimate must 

 be put, which prevents insects from eating through the paper. 



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