INTRODUCTION. 9 



The animals of very minute species need not be removed 

 the shells may be simply dried. 



A penknife carefully inserted will separate the animal 

 from the shells of the bivalves, which should be instantly 

 tied up or screwed up in a piece of tissue paper till dry. 

 Should this not be done, the ligament will harden with the 

 valves open, and the shell cannot then be closed without 

 snapping the ligament. 



A set of slugs preserved in spirits forms an interesting 

 feature in a collection ; and some guidance is necessary here. 



The animals must not be plunged alive into spirits and 

 straightway sealed up. If this is done, they will exude a 

 thick coat of mucus, which surrounds them like a cocoon, 

 and, moreover, they will shrink up to a very small un- 

 interesting mummy. 



They should be drowned in cold water, and when dead 

 should be cleaned of the inevitable mucous coat with a 

 paint-brush. They should then be put into methylated 

 spirit and water (in proportion of 1 spirit to 3 water). 

 After three or four days they should be again wiped and 

 transferred to a mixture of equal spirit and water, and 

 finally, after another interval of the same length, to a 

 mixture of 3 spirit to 1 water. 



By this means their tendency to shrink is minimized, 

 and they are more apt to retain their markings, which pure 

 spirit is apt to obliterate. 



The various slugs in neat glass tubes arranged in trays 



