16 



again; it is better therefore to secure, at once, 

 a sufficient number of specimens, for the sake 

 of illustrating the variations which many spe- 

 cies are liable to. [PL J, fig. 2.] 



Directions for preserving Crustacea. 



THOSE Crustacea that inhabit the sea may 

 be killed by being put into cold fresh water 

 (General Hardwicke informs me that he usually 

 tied them in pieces of linen or small bags, as 

 they would otherwise injure each other), and in 

 which they should be allowed to remain for 

 some hours, to extract the salt, which would 

 soon destroy the specimens by attracting mois- 

 ture; they must then be well dried, taking care 

 to place the legs, antennae, &c. in as compact 

 a form as possible, to prevent injury. Such as 

 will admit of being wrapped in soft paper may 

 afterwards be packed in boxes, on layers of 

 cotton, which for large specimens is a safer plan 

 than that of transfixing them by pins propor- 

 tioned to their size ; but, as they are extremely 

 brittle, it is better to put them into spirits. 



