68 THE NATURALIST'S GUIDE. 



Upon arriving home, and opening the box, I found that 

 the jar had become broken, and the liquid had escaped. 

 The smaller reptiles, etc. I placed in alcohol; but a rep- 

 tile known as the " Glass Snake " and a young Rabbit 

 were left out for want of room, set away and forgotten. 

 Upon looking them up about a month afterwards, I found, 

 to my surprise, that the " snake " had dried completely 

 without shrinking in the least, and, moreover, it retained all 

 the peculiar glossiness of life ! The Rabbit had not shrunk 

 any more than if it had been in strong alcohol. 



Such is the result of an accident. Whether this discov- 

 ery will prove of general practical use in preserving reptiles 

 is yet to be proven. 



