DIRECTIONS FOR COLLECTING, &c, SPECIMENS OF NATURAL HISTORY 



176 



Skeletons may be roiiglil}' prepared by skinning the animal 

 and removing all tlie vis.e:a, togcJier wi.li as uiui;li of llie liesll 

 as pj&^ble. ^'ilie bonis shoul.l tlieii be exposed to tlie sun or air 

 until canpletelj dried. Previously, liovve.e:-, the b.ainot -large 

 anira-ils should be r^maved by se|iar;iliiig ihi skull from tlie 

 siiine, and extiactiug the couteuLs thiougli tlie laige hole in the 

 back of the head. In cas3 it be^-omes uecessary to disj.iiut a 

 skeleton, ca;-e sliould be t iken tJ attach a cjmnioa mark to all 

 the pieee-s especially wheu more tliau one iudi\idual is packed in 

 the same box. 



Skulls and skeletons may frequently be pi;-ked up, already 

 cleaned by other animals or exposure to weather. By jilaciiig 

 small animals near an ant's nest, oi- in water occupied by fcid- 

 poles, or sm ill crusta:'ea, very beiutlful skeletons may often be 

 obt;iiued. The sea bea.di sometimes a3br,ls rich treasures in the 

 remains of porpoises, sharks, whales, la:ge fishes, and other aquatic 

 species. 



§ VII. ri.ANTS. 



The collector of plants requires but little apparatus; a few 

 quires or reams of unsized p-.' '-r, of folio siz.', will furnish all that 

 will be required. The spec.iuens, as gatliered, niay be plaeed in 

 a tin-box, or, slill better, in a portfolio of pa]ier, \intil reaching 

 home. Here they are to be spread out carel'ully between sheets 

 of the papei-, and these laid one on top of the other, wilh several 

 sheets between each. The pile is now t;) be ]ilaced between two 

 boards, and subjected to a pressure of fifty pounds or less. This 

 may be given by weig'.its, or by mjans of two sti-aps, one at ea.:h 

 end. lu travelling, the strap? will ba founl m )st convenient. 

 The pipei-s mast be changed every d ly, and, whan perfectly dry, 

 transferred to fresh sheets. It will be found very convenient to 

 have a number of blank labels, with strings attached, by which 

 they may be f.istened on a speoiman when collected, as soon as 

 notes of locality, color of flowers, date, &c., are made upon it. 



In many inst ince.s, old newspapers will be found to answer a 

 good purpose both in drying and in keeping plants, although the 

 unprmted paper is best — the more porous and absorbent the 

 better. 



While on a march, the following directions for collecting plants, 

 drawn up by Major Rich, are recommended : — 



Have thick cartridge, or envelope-paper, folded in quarto form, 

 and kept close, and even by binding with strong cord; news,- 

 papers will answer, but a-e l.able to chafe and wear out; a few 

 are very convenient to mix in with the hard jiaper as dryere. 

 This. herbarium may be r^^lled u)) in the blanket while travelling 

 and placed on a ]rick animal. The specimens colleete I along the 

 road may be kept in the crown of the hat when with lut a col- 

 lecting-box, and jilaced in paper at noon or at night, (iieat care 

 should be taken to keep the pa])ers drj' an I free from mould. 

 When there is not time at noon to dry the pa])ers iii the sun, 

 they sh^uld be dried at night by the fire, when, also, the dried 

 specimens are ))hR'ed at the bottom of the bundle, making room 

 on top for the next day's collection. A tin collecting-box is ^'ery 

 necessary ; plants may be preserved for two or three days in one 

 if kept damp and cool. It is also convenient in colleeting 

 land-shells, which is generally considereil ]5art of a I'Otanist's 

 duty. A collector should also always be ]irovided with ple.ity of 

 readv-m.adj seed papei's, not only for prci^erving seeds, but mosses 

 and minute ])lant-s. Many s;,'eds and fruits cannot be put in the 

 herbarium, ]ia: ti 'ulirly if of a succulent nature, causing mouldi- 

 ness, ami others f )rm irregularities and inequalities in the papers, 

 thus breaking specimens and causing small ones and seeds to 

 drop out. Fruits of this kind should be numbered to coricspond 

 with the s|)ecnnen, an 1 kept in thu saddle bag or some such 

 place. It is neccssarv, in order to make giod specimens, to avoid 

 heavy jtressure and kee[) the papere well dried, otherwise they 

 get mouldy, turn black, or decay. 



[1853- 



On board ship, it is all-important to keep the collections from 

 getting wet with salt-wales'. The papers can generidly be diied 

 at the g.dle}-. The whole herbarium should be exposed to the 

 sun as often as ]>ossible, and frequently examined, and the mould 

 brushed ott' with a feather or camel's-halr pencil. 



§ Vill. MINERALS AND FOSSILS. 



The collections in mineralogy and paL-eontology are amongst 

 all, those which are most easily made; whilst, on the other hand, 

 their weight, especially wdieu on a march, will p)revent many 

 from niakmg such upon an extensive scale. 



All the pi-epararion usually needed for preserving minerals and 

 fossils consists in wiap]>ing the specimens separatidy in paper, 

 with a label inside for the locality, and packing so as to prevent 

 rubbing. Crumbling fossils ii.ay be soaked to advantiige iu a 

 solution of glue. 



Any fossil, whatever it be, should be collected. Minerals and 

 samples of rocks are also desirable. The latter should be pi'oper- 

 ly selected, an .1 cut to five by three inches of surface, and one to 

 two inches thick. 



Specimens ought to be tightly packed up iu boxes, taking care 

 that each one is wrapped up separately, in ovder that the angles 

 cr crystalline surfaces should not be destroyed by transpoi-tation ; 

 their value depending u])OU their good condition. The same 

 precautions will be required for corals. The interstices between 

 the specimens, in the box or cask, may be occupied by sawdust, 

 sand, shaviigp, hay, cotton, or other soft substance. It is abso- 

 lutely essential, for land cari'iage, that no cavity be left in the 

 vessel, or box. 



§ IX. DESIDERATA. 



As comparatively little is known of the animals and plants of 

 the country west of the Mississijipi and Gulf of Mexico, the at- 

 tention of officsi's of the army, an 1 oihere, is especially invited to 

 this region. Of the fresh water fishes, trout, grayling, mijnows, 

 (fee, little or notluig is on record ; and the s;une may be said of 

 the marine species. The re;it;le=, bird-, smaller mammalia 

 (squirrels, marmot-s, go])hers, pouched rats, hares, &c^) and all 

 other animals, should also be caiefully collected. 



This region likewi.=:e abounds in fossil bones, teeth, &C., of the 

 greatest interest, esp- cially in those portions known as " Mauvaises 

 'J'erres," or "Bad Lanls," and occurnng along the Missouri and 

 its tributaiies. White Ri\er, Milk Rivei-, Platte, Eau qui Court, 

 (fee. The banks and be :1s of these and other streams likewise 

 contain rich tresisures of fossil bones. Similar remains are to be 

 looked for in all ca\'es, ]ieat bogs, alluvial soil, marl pits, fissures 

 in rocks, and other localities throughout North America. 



A list of the principal species of large North American animals 

 is subjoined, with reference to the collection of skins, skulls, horns, 

 and skeletons. For the purpose of having complete series in the 

 different stages of age and sex, and for supplying other museums, 

 it is desirable to have a considerable number of the skulls of each 

 species. When possible, :it least one skeleton should be pro- 

 cured. It nnist, however, be remembered, that a single tooth or 

 bone of an animal, in the absence of anything more, will be of 

 impoitance. Each specimen should, as far as practicable, have 

 the approximate age, sex, and locality, distinctly marked on the 

 bone in pen or pencil. 



Human Races, civilized and . Sea Otter. 



uncivilized. Common Otter. 



Buffalo. Grizzly Bear. 



MusK Ox. White Bear. 



Mountain Sheep, or Bic- Bears, other s]iccies. 



HORN. Kaccoos, especially from Cali- 

 California Wild Sheep. fornia. 



