PREPARATION 



17 



and mixing the appendages. If there are several specimens in the 

 liquid, the mixing and fastening together may be so complete that 

 it is practically impossible to separate them. It is a waste of 

 time to try and untangle such specimens, they are worthless for 

 mounting, unless they are very rare species. 



Since the above was written, one of my students, J. Howard 

 Gage, has shown that specimens, no matter how badly they may 

 be tangled and distorted, can be separated and inflated in the fol- 

 lowing manner. The specimens to be inflated should be washed 

 as described later and placed from the water or from alcohol in a 

 watch-glass containing chemically pure lactic acid. They should 

 remain in this solution from three-fourths to one hour and then 

 be placed in another watch-glass containing sulphuric ether or 

 chloroform, preferably the former, for fifteen to thirty minutes. 

 The inflation occurs while in this latter solution and when com- 

 pleted the specimens should be separated and as plump as in life. 

 An immersion in 95 per cent alcohol is needed to remove the ether 

 and for dehydration. 



There is always difficulty, except in the case of large speci- 

 mens, in transferring them from one solution to another, particu- 

 larly if the transferring is to be done without injury to the speci- 

 mens. It should be done with a section lifter, pipette, sable brush, or 

 forceps. The forceps, while apparently more difficult to use, 

 will be found the best at all times for this purpose. The speci- 

 mens, whether large or small, should never be grasped between the 

 points of the forceps. This will break off fine projections or distort 

 the body. The specimen should be floated from the bottom and 

 taken up in the fluid enclosed between the points of the forceps. 

 This method will seem almost impossible at first, because of the 

 difficulty of getting the specimens, particularly small ones, through 

 the surface film. The knack of doing this is readily acquired, if 

 the preparator is persistent. It will soon be learned, if tried, that 

 it is not as easy as it may seem to transfer specimens with a section 

 lifter for the same reason. Float the specimens around in the fluid 

 after each change is made so that they will return, if slightly 

 distorted, to their original form. 



The clarifying with hot caustic potash is the method most 

 generally followed and may be known as the fast method. The 

 use of a cold solution may be known as the slow method. The heat 

 hastens the action of the caustic potash and it is possible to make 

 preparations in a few hours by the fast method which would 

 require several days by the slow method. 



