704 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.41. 



bles are found breaking above the object, it may be withdrawn from 

 the paraffin and drained in various positions in the heat immediately 

 above the surface of the paraffin. If too much paraffin has been 

 removed, a rapid dip in the hot hquid, and subsequent draining in a 

 hot place, or a rub, will quickly restore the deficiency. 



^Ir. G. S. Miller, in experimenting with weathered skulls, found 

 that in five minutes — until bubbling ceased — the specimen had 

 increased one-fifth in added substance and solidity to the fragile 

 specimen. 



NOTE. 



Having after the lapse of 18 months reexamined 23 specimens 

 treated in accordance with the foregoing method, I found : 



First, that the tusks and some of the skulls were seriously disfig- 

 ured by dust, but that a soft rag moistened with benzine restored the 

 original color absolutely, a treatment that could only act beneficially 

 to the specimens inasmuch as any chance outlet for decomposition 

 gases is closed by this process. 



Second, all the specimens examined were, without exception, intact. 

 Not the faintest sign of disintegration was observable. This is noth- 

 ing more than was to be expected. Paraffin from its very name, 

 parum affine, denoting its chemical stability, neither attacks the 

 calcium salts of the bone proper, nor does it permit its oxidation by 

 the air, nor that of the animal matter still inclosed. Although the 

 inevitable disorder connected with the transfer of specimens from 

 one building to another subjected them to more than ordinary 

 vicissitudes, there was, aside from dust, no damage apparent. 



An interesting specimen well depicting the difference between a 

 skull treated with paraffin and a jaw in its natural state is that of a 

 leopard (Cat. No. 162927, U.S.N.M.), wliich was found on the ground 

 in a considerably weathered condition. Here the j aw, with its count- 

 less cracks and crevices, worn more or less deep, with the bone sur- 

 face here and there cliipped off, exposing more and more the looser 

 stratum witliin, and particularly the ragged, broken teeth, offers 

 striking testimony in favor of the treatment. 



The success being complete, it is not probable that an increase of 

 the number of test specimens would have materially modified the 

 results, especially as the experiment covered practically the whole 

 ground of variation in size, condition, and age. 



Another fact deserving attention is the displacement of animal 

 matter and fats by paraffin. This vitiates the material infiltrated 

 and impairs its stability. If rliigoline, petroleum ether, or benzine 

 were used as a preliminary detergent, this waste of material would 

 be obviated, since these can easily be distilled off from their impu- 

 rities and used over asain. 



