288 ON COLLECTING SHELLS. 



the number hy the specific name. The label should have upon 

 it the locality where found, and any other facts that might be of 

 interest to the naturalist. The numbers he attaches to his 

 species may serve as the means of ascertaining names by corre- 

 spondence. Each species should be marked, so that no confusion 

 may arise by displacement of labels. 



Should the collector find it convenient to correspond with 

 some other person similarly engaged, or should he desire to 

 transmit a package of shells to some friend or some public 

 institution, a few suggestions relative to packing shells for 

 transportation may be of use. Obtain a sufficiently strong box 

 of suitable capacity ; on the bottom should be laid a thin bed of 

 soft ha}^, or some other suitable elastic material. The larger 

 shells (if such are to form a part of the contents of the package) 

 should form the lower tiers in packing. Each shell should be 

 wrapped in paper, and the specimens should be so compactly 

 stowed as not to shake about. The lighter shells should occupy 

 the upper portion of the package, and those of a fragile nature 

 should be protected from breakage by being enveloped in 

 cotton and enclosed in suitable small boxes. Small paper bags 

 or cartridges may serve to contain minute species ; but a more 

 satisfactory mode is to wrap them in cotton and put them in 

 small paper boxes, such as may be purchased at any drug-store. 

 Each species should be appropriately labeled, giving, in legible 

 characters, the generic and specific name of the shell, if known, 

 after which should be written the name of the author by whom 

 the species was published ; under this should follow the localitj^ 

 where found. Any vacant space at the top of the package may 

 be filled with such light material as will serve to keep the contents 

 from shaking about after the box is closed. The top of the 

 box should be carefully nailed secure, and plainly addressed. 

 Packages of light weight are usually forwarded through the 

 mails. It should be borne in mind that in case labels containing 

 names and localities accompany the shells, the package becomes 

 subject to letter postage, but that a very cheap rate is secured if 

 the specimens are accompanied by numbers only. In this case, 

 add to the address on the package " Specimens of Natural 

 History ; no writing." The names, designating the numbers by 

 which the specimens are distinguished, will then be included in 

 your letter of advice to your correspondent. 



Terrestrial species may be readily kept alive in fern cases, 

 supplying them with sufficient moisture and succulent food ; 

 cabbage or lettuce leaves are generally preferred by the phytopha- 

 gous species. In this manner, the author of these pages has kept 

 the larger exotic species as well as our own mollusks, sometimes 

 for many months, with full opportunitj^ to observe their habits, 

 including copulation, ovipositing, the growth of the young 

 mollusk, etc. 



