[51] INSTEUCTIONS FOR COLLECTING MOLLUSKS DALL. 



For the representation of specimens inside the cabinet various plans 

 ■have been adopted. The specimens may be kept in small trays, unless 

 very small, when they may be put into glass tubes and closed with 

 corks and these tubes into trays, or some system may be adopted by 

 which specimens are mounted with cement on tablets, either of card, 

 hard wood, glass, or even slate. There is no doubt that where space is 

 of no importance and attractiveness in the collection is considered as 

 preeminent, that specimens present a much more inviting appearance 

 if mounted. For study, however, and for all scientific purposes mounted 

 specimens are very undesirable. It is difficult to keep them clean, or if 

 they become soiled to clean them. Glass can be washed, but no cement 

 will adhere to glass for any length of time. Cardboard changes color, 

 or if colored fades and after a time assumes a very shabby appearance. 

 Wood is difldcult to keep clean, although better than any of the others. 

 The collector is advised therefore not to attempt to mount his collection. 

 Many firms of paper-box manufacturers are prepared to furnish small 

 paper trays without covers five-eighths of an inch deep and of such 

 length and width as may be desired, at a very cheap rate. Those in 

 most American museums are covered with white glazed paper, from 

 which the dust can be easily brushed, and in width and length proceed 

 on the basis of a unit of size, 1 inch by 2 inches. This is the smallest 

 size of x)aper tray. All other sizes, except the next larger, which is 1^ 

 l)y 2 inches, are multiples of the first. In this way when the trays are 

 put into a drawer they will fill it evenly, and if a cabinet is made to 

 order the inside measure of the drawers should bear a suitable relation 

 to the unit adopted for the paper trays to be put into them. For espe- 

 cially delicate specimens small boxes with glass tops are very desirable. 

 These are, however, rather expensive luxuries, needed in most cases for 

 few of the specimens ordinarily acquired by collectors. For small 

 shells the glass tube, which is a sort of homeopathic vial without a 

 neck and without any thickening around the aperture, is most conven- 

 ient, and one may almost say indispensable. These are closed with 

 corks. The tubes may be had from aU dealers in glassware at a low 

 price if specially ordered. As a rule they are not kept on hand. It is 

 well to have them of several sizes. Those in use in the IS'ational Mu- 

 seum are of three diameters, three- eighths, five-eighths and 1 inch, and 

 are of the uniform length of If inches. This enables them to be corked 

 and then placed in the smallest size of paper tray, and most shells 

 which require to be tubed will be accommodated by these sizes. 



LABELS. 



The matter of labels is always of importance to the collector. The 

 appearance of a collection depends very largely upon the neatness and 

 uniformity of its labeling. Blank labels may be printed in sheets at 

 very small expense and afterwards cut apart. They may have a head- 

 ing, with the name of the collector and his place of residence, with a 



