SOME HINTS ON NATURAL HISTORY SPECIMENS. 647 
medium in which to preserve them, but its high cost in this country, 
owing to the heavy import duty, precludes its use. 
With small specimens it is sufficient to make several incisions along 
the median line of the abdomen to allow the spirit to thoroughly 
saturate every part, but it is better, and with larger specimens is 
necessary, to make a single longer incision and through this remove 
entirely the viscera. In making this opening-cut, it is most important 
that it should be commenced, or ended, some distance in front of the 
anus, so as not to touch the anal shield, for this isin many instances 
an important mark of identification, whether single or bifid, and 
should consequently be left intact. 
‘The specimen should then be simply immersed in the spirit, con- 
tained in suitable wide-mouthed- vessels with close fitting stoppers of 
some kind ; for this purpose something is generally to be found about 
the back premises of any bungalow—something that lately contained 
pickles or what-not from the grocers—and of all the many suitable 
jars the best of all is an old prune bottle. Before putting a specimen 
into spirits for preservation do not forget to write the details on the 
label with an ordinary lead pencil ; this will be quite permanent and 
will not smudge orrun. Give them also plenty of room at first 
until they have become thoroughly impregnated. 
One disadvantage, however, of spirit asa preservative medium is 
that it-is troublesome to carry about a sufficient supply, and careful 
packing is necessary; especially is this noticeable when away from 
home, which is probably the time one will most require it and will 
come across specimens that are wanted to be preserved. Spirits you 
cannot carry in a concentrated form, and to the field-collector I 
would strongly recommend Formalin as a substitute. The great 
advantage of it is that a small bottle of formalin—say half a pint— 
will suffice for supplying one and-a-half gallons of preserving liquor, 
for it is to be diluted with no less than twenty-five times its own bulk 
of water before use. And further with it the vessel can be crammed 
as fullas you like with specimens without their taking any harm. 
Formalin, I may mention, is obtainable from the leading druggists in 
Bombay, and no doubt in any other large towns of India, the cost 
being about “Rs. 4 for 2 20-02. bottle. “When it was first introduced, 
as’ a preservative -medium, it was thought by. some that it would 
