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to placing the creatures in the jar or barrel. Specimens too 

 large to be thus disposed of, as crocodiles and large lizards, 

 should be skinned according to the directions given for mam- 

 malia. Tortoises and turtles must have the lower shell cut or 

 sawn from the upper, at their junction, and cut from the 

 surrounding skin. The flesh can then be readily removed 

 from both shells, and the head, neck, and extremities can be 

 skinned in the usual manner. The application of arsenical 

 soap, or preservative, must on no account be omitted. 



In skinning snakes which may be inconveniently large to 

 put in spirit, care must be taken to avoid rubbing off or 

 loosening the scales, as well as to avoid receiving any scratch 

 from the fangs of such as are poisonous ; the virus retaining 

 its deadly power after death, and even after long preservation. 



The amphibious reptiles, as toads, frogs, newts, salamanders, 

 &c., which undergo so many, and such remarkable transfor- 

 mations, should have specimens in all the different stages of 

 development, from the spawn to the perfectly formed animal, 

 preserved in spirit ; and if possible, to secure identity, the 

 different species should be kept in separate bottles, and all the 

 particulars that can be obtained relating to them should be 

 recorded in the note-book, especially the date and place of 

 capture ; and the specimens referred to by numbers marked 

 on suitable labels. 



Many remarkable species of newts and salamanders are 

 found in Japan, particularly one very large kind the Sieboldia 

 maxima which grows to the length of two feet. This is a 

 very ugly creature, but very rare in European collections, and 

 is well worth seeking for and preserving in spirit. 



The eggs of reptiles should be preserved. They may be 

 blown, or put in spirit. Particular care should be taken in 

 ascertaining and noting the species they belong to, examples 

 of which should also be preserved, if possible, in order to 

 make the identification sure. 



