254 FRESHWATER SHELLS. 



amply repaid. Having collected the fresh-water 

 shells, place them in a vessel, and pour a large 

 quantity of boiling water on them; they do not 

 require to be first put into cold water, as the land 

 shells do : as soon as the water is a little cool, 

 pour it off. take out the animals as before men- 

 tioned, wash the shells, etc., etc. ; but as the 

 bivalve or fresh-water mussel will open wide as 

 soon as the animal is out, it must be tied close 

 before being put out to dry ; if not the hinge 

 will break, and make the shell valueless. Some 

 of the fresh-water shells that are like the snails 

 have a mouth-piece, or operculum, which must be 

 taken care of: the mouth-pieces should be kept 

 in separate packages, and packed with the species 

 of shell to which they belong, as they are of 

 great service in determining the species. Some 

 of the land shells have also a mouth-piece, which 

 should be packed in the same manner. When 

 the bivalve shells are tied up and dry, wrap each 

 of them in a piece of soft paper, pack them in small 

 boxes, and remember localities, habitats, etc., etc. 



