1170 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [14] 

 SHIPPING DIRECTIONS. 



Address. — Fresh specimens should be in all cases shipped by ex- 

 press,* addre*?sed to Prof. S. F. Baird, Smithsonian Institution, 

 Washington, D. C, and marked ^^ perishable:^ 



What to ds zvhen p&rsons are sent from Washington. — If a response 

 is received stating that persons will be sent to care for the specimen 

 nothing is necessary to be done but to keep it as far as possible buried 

 in wet sand. 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE USE OF CAPTAINS OF WHALING- 

 VESSELS AND OTHER OBSERVERS AND COLLECTORS. 



T^ecor^Zs.— Observers at sea having neither time nor opportunity to 

 preserve specimens might with good result record (in a book kept for 

 the purpose) some of the chnracters and measurements included in the 

 scheme on jjp. 10-12. 



Points of interest.— Among the points of interest not referred to on 

 these pages are (a) the shape, color of the body, head, tins, and flukes, 

 and ttie color of inside of the mouth ; {b) the size and shape of the 

 teeth, or the length, breadth, tineness, and color of the whalebone; 

 (c) the size and color of the eye ; {d) the size and shape of the blow- 

 hole or blow-holes. Such observations should always be accompanied 

 by a record of the sex of the specimen and the date upon which and 

 the locality in which observed. 



Fia. 3.— Ideal figure of a porpoise showing by croas-lines at what pointe the bones of the skeleton 

 may be most conveniently separated. 



The skeleton. — If specimens can be preserved, the entire skeleton is, 

 of course, the most to be desired, provided that a record is kept of the 

 external appearance of the animals. It is taken for granted that skele- 

 tons of very large whales cannot be preserved except under extraor- 



• K too large to be boxecl they should be eewed up in canvas, and thus protected 

 on the Journey, * 



