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The simplest method of killing the animals of shells is to 

 pour lolling water upon them, which causes immediate death. 

 The animals of univalve shells can then be extracted with 

 a long bent pin, or a piece of fine wire, hooked at the end. 

 Care should be taken to remove every particle of the animal 

 matter of all except the very smallest kinds, and when there is 

 a shelly lid or covering (operculum) to the mouth of the shell, 

 this should be carefully put in again when dry. 



Bivalve shells, as mussels, &c., must have the animal 

 matter removed with a knife, and the two shells tied together ; 

 otherwise, when dry, they will gape, and be unsightly, and 

 liable to break. The shells, when thoroughly dry, should be 

 wrapped or packed in cotton wool, or soft paper. Very small 

 ones may be put together in pill-boxes, or small phials, with 

 a little cotton, to prevent shaking. All captured at one time 

 and place should be packed together, and carefully labelled 

 with the locality, conditions under which found, as, " under 

 stones," " among moss," &c. ; and (where they have been 

 obtained by dredging) the depth in fathoms, and the nature 

 of the bottom, whether sandy, muddy, or rocky, should be 

 particularly named. These last particulars are of the highest 

 importance, not only in the study of recent conchology, but 

 also to the geologist, as affording him hints as to the condi- 

 tions under which similar kinds found in a fossil state also 

 existed. 



It is very desirable to preserve some of the specimens of 

 shells with the animals within them in bottles of spirit, as it 

 is only from the animals themselves that their true nature 

 and relations can be accurately ascertained, as shown in the 

 instance of the Nautilus, before spoken of. The specimens 

 so to be preserved should be put in alive, as the spirit itself 

 will speedily kill them. 



Beside the animals bearing an external shell, there are 

 whole families belonging to this class in which the shell is 



