6o TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



found to be infested with insect pests, it may be renovated by 

 pouring a little bisulphide of carbon into the boxes and closing 

 them at once. This substance evaporates rapidly and will 

 destroy all insect life, and does not injure specimens or pins 

 nor stain the boxes. If infested specimens are received, these 

 should be enclosed in a tight box and treated with bisulphide 

 of carbon before being added to the general collection, and it is 

 always well for those who are receiving pinned specimens by 

 exchange or otherwise to keep a quarantine box of this kind 

 on hand." 



Cyanide of Potassium. — This has the same effect as the 

 preceding, but it stains the cases, and the fumes it gives off are 

 more deleterious, added to which it cannot be used with safety 

 in bulk, and its use is limited to the killing of most Arthropoda 

 and some small vertebrates {e.g. frogs and mice), by its inclusion 

 with them in an air-tight jar or bottle. 



Chloroform. — This is, when used with discretion, the best 

 means of painlessly killing the Vertebrata ; owing, however, to 

 its causing a stiffening of the wing-membranes of the Insecta, 

 it is not so valuable for killing them as is cyanide of 

 potassium made up in a " killing-bottle." 



Lee has seen large Medusas completely narcotised in an hour 

 or so, in full extension, by squirting, with a fine pipette or 

 syringe, liquid chloroform, a very small quantity at a time, 

 into the sea-water containing the animals. It does not, how- 

 ever, appear to succeed with the Actiniae. 



Nicotin. — Sometimes, says Lee, quoting Andres, the follow- 

 ing is employed : — 



52. — Nicotin Solution 



Nicotin . . . . . i gramme 



Sea-water . . . . .1 litre 



" The animal to be anaesthetised is placed in a jar contain- 

 ing half a litre of sea-water, and the solution of nicotin is 



