I 



[3] NOTES ON ENTOZOA OF MARINE FISHES. 721 



which I adopted to keep track of my material aud the notes and sketches 

 made at the time of collecting. Since it was not desirable usually to 

 attempt to identify the specimens in the short time during which they 

 could be studied alive, especially, as was often the case, when my table 

 was covered with a dozen or more dishes each containing a lot of speci- 

 mens to be assorted, I found it convenient to keep what I may call a 

 numerical check-list. In this check-list each capture is denoted by a 

 number, while the different species or groups into which the lot was 

 assorted are indicated by the letters of the alphabet. The check-list 

 contains the date of capture, number of fish examined, aud usually the 

 number of specimens obtained. A few numbers quoted from the check- 

 list itself will illustrate the method sufficiently. 



190, August 6 (1887), Trematods, same as No. 17%, gills and stomach of Echeneis re- 



mora ; stomach empty. 

 191a, August 6, Long red Nematods (viviparous), same as 184a, ou viscera and under 



peritoneum of Lobotes suriuamensis. 

 191&, Cysts and embryo Bhijnchobothria from viscera, under peritoneum of same. 

 191c, Trematods, intestine of same, fifteen specimens, small. 

 191tf*, Two small Nematods, intestine of same. 



192a, August 8, Rhynchobotkria from stomach of Trygon centrum; one ray examined. 

 192&, Phyllobothrium, one specimen, from lower part of spiral intestine of same, same 



as No. 1786. 

 192c, Acanthobothrium, numerous, spiral intestine of same. 



Labels with numbers and corresponding data from check-list were 

 placed in the bottles or vials in which the specimens were preserved. 

 When greatly pressed for time temporary labels with numbers only were 

 placed with the specimens. These were replaced as soon as possible by 

 labels containing all necessary data. In cases where the living speci- 

 mens were studied notes were kept on small pieces of paper of uniform 

 size. A small tablet of unruled paper 5f by 3| inches was found con- 

 venient for this purpose. Where several pages of notes were filled 

 from the study of a single number, the pages were not only numbered, 

 but each page was marked with the check-list number. The pages were 

 then pinned together and placed in a large envelope, where they were 

 kept in numerical order so that they could be referred to without delay. 

 Sketches of living forms were made, sometimes with the notes, but 

 usually on separate pieces of paper. A tablet of unruled writing paper, 

 9 by 5| inches, was found to be a convenient size for sketches. Every 

 sketch was marked with the check-list number. The sketches were kept 

 in a separate envelope, and arranged in numerical order. 



With the specimens, notes, and sketches numbered and arranged ac- 

 cording to a uniform system, it was scarcely possible for any mistake 

 to occur in the way of referring a specimen to other than its proper 

 host. It was also easy to collect duplicates into a group for study. In 

 the winter months, whenever a half-day, or even less, was at my dis- 

 posal it was possible to utilize the time in a way that could scarcely 

 have been done if no special method of work had been pursued. As far 

 as time aud material would permit, specimens were prepared by stain- 

 El. Mis. 133 ttO 



