PRESERVING EXPLAN A TIONS 



is at the collector's disposal. Care should be taken to have 

 the alcohol enter the body cavity, for if it does not do so 

 the specimens will not be well preserved. The alcohol may 

 be injected by means of a hypodermic syringe, or slits may 

 be cut through the skin of the belly. These slits usually 

 should be about half an inch long. One is ordinarily suffi- 

 cient in case of a lizard, but in snakes several incisions should 

 be made at intervals of three or four inches. The specimens 

 having been, thus prepared, and labeled with the exact 

 locality and date of collection, as well as with the collec- 

 tor's name, and any notes upon habits, colors, etc., should be 

 placed in strong alcohol. Care should be taken not to crowd 

 the specimens into small jars with too little alcohol, for if 

 this be done the reptiles will decay. If the number of jars 

 at hand is so small as to necessitate crowding, the alcohol 

 should be renewed each day until the specimens are thor- 

 oughly cured, after which only enough alcohol to cover 

 them is needed. Amphibians and geckos will become 

 shriveled and brittle if hardened in strong alcohol. For 

 these, the alcohol should be diluted with water; about 65% 

 alcohol gives good results. 



The descriptions in the following pages are based upon 

 alcoholic specimens, except in a few instances where it is 

 distinctly stated that fresh specimens have been used. Al- 

 cohol does not preserve the colors of reptiles well, so that 

 living reptiles usually are more brightly colored than the 

 descriptions indicate. In the determination of colors 

 Ridgway's "Nomenclature of Colors" has been used as a 

 guide. Measurements are given in millimeters, but may 

 readily be converted into inches by allowing 25 (25.4) 

 millimeters to one inch. The tail is measured from the anus. 

 Limbs are measured from the side of the body to the tip of 

 the longest toe, excluding the claw. 



I add here a glossary of some of the terms used in works 

 upon herpetology. 



