CHAPTER IV. 



COLLECTING AND PRESERVING FISHES AND REPTILES. 



SECTION I. Fishes. Very many are they who at the 

 present day follow in the footsteps of the " Father of all 

 Anglers," the good Izaak Walton, concerning the mere 

 sport of angling ; but, alas ! there are few who, like him, 

 look with contemplative minds upon the great works of 

 Nature ; for the worthy Izaak was quite a naturalist, after 

 his fashion, and loved exceedingly to prate, in his quaint 

 style, of the wondrous birds, beasts, and fishes of which 

 he had seen or heard. Few, indeed, are they who, al- 

 though some of their happiest moments are spent by the 

 side of the clear mountain brook, with rod in hand, see in 

 the beautiful trout, that they with exultation draw from 

 its sparkling home, anything more than a good dinner on 

 the morrow. 



Yet there are a few earnest naturalists who love to 

 study the finny tribes as they ought to be studied. 

 Indeed, the science of Ichthyology can claim among its 

 most earnest students the greatest naturalist in our land. 

 Those who live inland do not possess the advantages of 

 making as extensive a collection of fishes as those who 

 reside upon the sea-shore ; nevertheless, they can all do 

 something for this branch of natural history. 



In collecting fishes the instruments generally used are 

 nets and hooks and lines ; with these try and secure every 

 variety that can be found. Many species can be secured 

 from the markets, where fishes are exposed for sale, by 

 picking out the specimens that are needed. The best 

 way to preserve fishes is to put them into alcohol. All 



