SOME HINTS ON COLLECTING SPECIMENS. 399 



brilliantly and delicately coloured ones, it is also very desirable to bring- 

 out the note-book and record the colouration of the freshly killed 

 specimens. This can of course with advantage be supplemented with a 

 coloured sketch, rough or detailed, as the case may be, of the fish as 

 soon as possible after its capture. If the vernacular name can be 

 added, it is always useful as a means of simple identification of the 

 species to which the notes, &c, refer. 



Before turning to the question of preserving specimens, I must 

 again refer to that of labelling, which is of the very first importance. 

 By all means give every specimen a reference number of its own on 

 the very first opportunity after it has come into your possession, and 

 enter all the particulars you can against the corresponding number in 

 your record book. The labelling of specimens that are destined to go 

 into the spirit jar is of special importance, as labels are liable to be 

 torn and lost when a number of specimens are immersed together and 

 subjected to the exigencies of travel. Really strong paper labels, 

 inscribed in hard pencil with full particulars, will do with 

 care ; but it is strongly recommended, as an additional precaution, 

 to use a small — say quarter inch square — label made of parchment, 

 inscribed in ink, which will not run if allowed to dry thoroughly, 

 bearing a number corresponding to the entry in the collector's record 

 book, in which of course full particulars are entered. 



Turning to the question of preserving, we have much the same 

 simplicity before us as in the case of the smaller reptiles and batra- 

 chians, so far, at least, as the moderate sized specimens are concerned. 

 The recognised medium is of course alcohol — as pure as it is obtain- 

 able — without the adulterations in the way of caoutchoucin or wood 

 naptha that are insisted upon by the Indian Customs authorities in 

 order to render the spirit undrinkable, even if redistilled. The methy- 

 lated spirit of the bazaar will, however, suffice temporarily for all 

 practical purposes if nothing better is procurable. Pure (95 per cent.) 

 alcohol can be * let down/ by the addition of water, to 70 or 75 per cent. 

 In order to reduce spirit of any known strength to the required strength 

 the following simple formula may be useful. Suppose your spirit 

 is of 95 per cent, strength, and you wish to reduce it to 70 per cent., 

 you must take 70 cubic centimetres, or other units, of your spirit 

 imd add enough water to make 95 cubic centimetres. With soft 

 specimens it is often advisable to put them first into weak spirit for a 



