ae| 
ies eee ache a AN | 
by which means it is held suspended in the spirits, and thus 
THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 
For the preservation of animals in ardent spirits, glass-bot- || 
tles are by far the best, and those of a square shape are to be || 
preferred, on account of their packing better. 
Considerable attention is required in placing the animals, | 
and also in regulating the proper strength of the spirits. 
Rum, brandy, gin, arrack, or whisky, may be used, but the 
less it is coloured so much the better, and the strength shoul pat be 
not exceed from 16 to 22 degrees of Baume, otherwise it will 
destroy the colour of the animals. Any mucous or other anh 
stance should be carefully removed, and dirt taken away. 
The animal should not reach the bottom of the bottle, as (ef Lbantes 
it is liable to decay by touching the bottle. M. Peron directs 
that the specimen should be attached to a flat piece of cork, 
several may be placed in the same vessel, without injuring 
each other. But the most simple method is to put the speci- 
men ina net, or linen bag; and if these are attached to cork 
they will remain suspended in the vessel. A slight incision 
should be made in the abdomen, to allow the spirits to reach 
the internal cavities, so that it may prevent decay. A day or 
two after the animals are placed in the bottles, it will be ne- 
cessary to fill them up again, as part of the liquor will have 
been absorbed by the specimen. The corks should then be 
luted with the composition mentioned at page 120. Corks are 
to be preferred to every thing else for stoppers. Before ap- 
plying the luting, the cork must be perfectiy dry, otherwise | 
it will not adhere. The luting is first heated to the boiling | 
point, and well stirred from the bottom, with a piece of rag 
attached to a small stick, and the luting may be applied with 
this all over the cork. A piece of strong linen is then tied — 
over the cork, and if the bottles are large, a piece of wire | 
should be crossed over them, and the whole must then be 
coated over with pitch. ‘ 
The traveller, or naturalist, will be best informed in regard — 
to the animals which are peculiar to the different quarters of 
the globe, by consulting a natural history; for example the 
Regne Animal of Cuvier, or Goldsmith’s Animated Nature, 
brought down to the present time. 
be the best adapted to the purpose of the English reader. 
The latter, of course, will 1 
