

M w VORK BTATE Ml'silM 



a stick may be used, or a forked Btick with which to pin the animal 

 to the ground. 



[f not dead when taken, specimens may be killed by dropping 

 into alcohol. Snakes may be killed by taking them by the end of 

 the tail and giving them a quick snap which will dislocate the 

 vertebrae. 



The prepared specimens will keep better if the alcohol is injected 

 into the body cavity with a hypodermic syringe. If this is not at 

 hand, they may he slit open along the ventral Bide with a sharp- 

 pointed pair of scissors. In the case of snake-. Bhort slits should 

 he made at intervals. It is well to keep the months of specimens 

 open by a wad of cotton or paper; and turtles should have the feet 

 drawn out. Alcohol of the full commercial Btrength should nut he 

 nsed for preserving. It is much better to put reptiles in alcohol 

 diluted with an equal part of water fur the first 24 hours and then 

 into alcohol with one fourth of it- volume uf water. Fur batra- 

 chians, alcohol even weaker than this should he used ; at first with 

 two thirds water and after '1+ hours with one third water. 



Labels of strong paper should he attached to the specimen hut 

 Bhould never he tied around the neck. For lizards and salamanders, 

 fa-ten it around the body just behind the tort- legs; for frogs and 

 toad.-, in front of the hind leg-; for makes, around the body at 

 about the anterior third ; and for turtles to one of the legs. The 

 labels Bhould be written with a soft lead pencil and should contain : 

 1) the exact locality where captured; '1\ the character uf the soil 

 and vegetation where the specimen was found, whether on sand, 

 among rocks, under logs or Btones, in holes, swamp, meadow, fori 

 or any such observations; 3) date of capture ; l> collector's name. 



A.fter soaking in alcohol for from one to two week-, according to 

 -ize, they are ready to be transported. For this purpose, a cigar 

 box, an old tomato can. or. better Btill, an empty baking powder can, 

 will serve. Take some cotton batting, .-oak it in alcohol and squeeze 

 it nearly dry ; then wrap each individual Bpecimen up ami pack .sol- 

 idly in the box or can ; when the can i- full, add as much alcohol as 

 the contents will hold without dripping ; wrap the parcel in several 

 thicknesses of strong paper, tie securely and forward by mail, if 

 nol too large, to the State Museum, Albany X. V. 



