236 BLUEFIELDS. 



full of water, in which are thrown the latid shells 

 collected in the morning. The animals in the dry 

 season withdraw themselves into the recesses of their 

 shells, covered either with their operculum, or, — if 

 this be wanting, as is the case with the numerous 

 tribe of Snails, — with an epiphragma of hardened 

 mucus that answers the same purpose. They are 

 thus difficult to extract ; but a few hours' immersion 

 in cold water stimulates them to action, and they 

 crawl about freely. A boy sits at this table with 

 another vessel containing boiling water; into this 

 have been put the shells collected on the previous 

 day, after having been all night in the cold water. 

 The hot water kills them immediately, and the lad 

 takes out each in succession, extracts the animal with 

 a needle of suitable size, and separates the operculum 

 if there be one. He then takes a soft tooth-brush, 

 and well cleanses the shell from earth, mucus, and all 

 other defilements, rinses it in a basin of clear water, 

 and lays it on a cloth to di-ain, with its operculum in 

 it. When thoroughly dry, each shell is wrapped in 

 soft paper separately, (the operculum having been 

 confined in its cavity by a bit of cotton wool,) and 

 carefully packed with others in boxes. 



In one corner of the floor a third youth is engaged 

 in laying out the botanical specimens brought in, or 

 in shifting the papers of those already drying. Aboard 

 three feet square, made double to prevent warping, lies 

 on the floor ; and sheets of coarse brown paper of the 

 largest size are spread open, on it, one over the other, 

 each with a plant (or more than one if small) between 

 it and the next. The whole series is then covered with 



