30 INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLECTORS 



the parasite should be removed and preserved. The tissues to be kept 

 should be placed in 70% alcohol, with the volume of liquid at least four 

 times that of the specimen, or in 10% formalin. Parasitic worms tend to 

 contract or curl when killed and should therefore preferably be killed by 

 immersion in a hot (almost boiling) solution, either water or alcohol. If 

 alcohol is heated great care must be used since the vapour given off is highly 

 inflammable. The danger is less if a deep and not very wide vessel is used. 

 If alcohol is used the specimen should be left in it for twenty-four hours and 

 then transferred to a smaller quantity of fresh alcohol for storage. If water 

 is used the specimen should be transferred immediately after death to a 

 solution of 70% alcohol or 10% formalin. The tube or container in which 

 it is placed should have a label written in waterproof ink or pencil giving the 

 collector's number for the host specimen, the name of the host species and its 

 age and sex, the location and date, and the part of the body of the host in 

 which the parasite was found. 



Further details are available in a pamphlet publication of the Smithsonian 

 Institution (see appendix 2). 



Packing skins for storage 



Once skins have dried completely they can be packed more economically 

 by removing the paper tubes in which they were placed for drying, and 

 packing them closely in a strong wood or metal box. This should be lined 

 with polythene or waxed paper to make it as airtight and waterproof as 

 possible. A layer of cotton wool is placed on the bottom of the box and 

 around the sides. The skins are packed side by side and layer upon layer, 

 arranged so that the tails do not point toward the sides of the box. The 

 largest birds must be placed at the bottom and the smallest on the final, top 

 layer. Within each layer the birds are arranged as described below, the first 

 row being arranged along one side with heads towards the side of the box, 

 and subsequent rows arranged with the heads in the same direction, save for 

 the last row which is reversed. As each skin is placed into the box small 

 pieces of cotton wool are packed lightly between the bird and its neighbour, 

 so that any movement is prevented. When the first row is complete a strip 

 of cotton wool is placed along the line of feet covering any sharp claws, and 

 the second row is arranged with the heads slightly overlapping onto the 

 cotton wool strip. This is continued until there is only room for one row, 

 and in this the position of each bird is reversed so that the head is towards 

 the other side of the box, thus preventing damage to the tail if the contents 

 shift. Each layer is covered with cotton wool and newspaper, any unevenness 

 being first levelled out, and any low spots filled in with cotton wool. Sub- 

 sequent layers are added in similar fashion, care being taken to make each as 

 level as possible and putting layers of paper and cotton wool between each. 

 Throughout the packing process crystals of some insect deterrent such as 

 naphtha or paradichlorbenzene are added in small quantities, care being 

 taken to avoid putting it in direct contact with the plumage. Birds can be 

 packed in this way for transport, but if there is any likelihood that the con- 

 tainer might be placed on end, or the wrong way up, care must be taken to 

 ensure that any free space inside the box is completely filled with padding 

 until the whole forms a firm mass that is not likely to move. 



