BULLETIN 39, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. [52] 



Space between the two items for the number of the particular lot recorded 

 upon the label. Then three or four lines will afford space enough 

 to write the name, locality and collector in most cases. These labels 

 may be printed upon card, but for practical purposes stiff white paper^ 

 somewhat like writing paper, only a little thicker, is quite as good as 

 card and much less expensive. 



CATALOGUING. 



The collector should keep a record or catalogue of his collection. 

 Each specimen or set of specimens placed in it should be numbered 

 and this number should be i)ut upon the label. If the collection is 

 large it would be advisable to number the shells themselves, which 

 may be done with neatness and care in a manner which will not deface 

 the specimens in any way. Small specimens contained in tubes may 

 have a small slip of paper bearing the number included with them. In 

 this way, if a drawer is overturned and the tubes fall out of the paper 

 trays in which they have been placed, the proper locality of each tube, 

 can readily be restored, whereas if they were not numbered a certain 

 amount of confusion and delay would result. As the collection grows 

 larger a catalogue will be found to be almost absolutely necessary. 

 The most convenient form for cataloguing comprises the registration 

 book and what is called a card catalogue, which is, however, not neces- 

 sarily made of cards. Slips of paper cut to a uniform size will do 

 equally well although cards are rather more convenient. In the regis- 

 tration book should be entered as soon as practicable after the collec- 

 tion has been sorted and cleaned, the name of the specimen if known, 

 otherwise its generic name (or in the absence of that a blank may be 

 left to fill up afterwards) the locality, sex and depth, the season or date, 

 and the collector's name. These will be entered in the register in the 

 order of reception or such other as may be most convenient, no classi- 

 fication being admitted in the book. The same items, however, or such 

 of them as is desired to retain, perhaps the name of the species and its 

 registration number may sufi&ce, would be written upon the card or slip 

 which forms part of the card catalogue. These slips can then be ar- 

 ranged in any order, alphabetical or otherwise, which may be selected 

 by the person concerned. By referring to the card the registration 

 number can be easily found and all the details recorded in the register 

 can be turned to without loss of time. These principles carried out to 

 a greater or less extent are those upon which the collections of the best 

 American museums are administered. 



PACKING SPECIMENS. 



A few hints on modes of packing may be useful for the collector : 

 Small shells in bulk may be simply put in to a box, such as mustard^ 

 tin, or a cigar box, filled so full that the contents can not shake about. 



