GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS 



as care in collecting or preserving. Excellent specimens may be 

 damaged or destroyed in transit unless properly protected. Speci- 

 mens should always be firmly secured so that they will not shake 

 or jostle about as this may break, wear, or destroy them. Never 

 pack fragile objects with more durable ones. For shipment select 

 containers that will not be broken or crushed. In packing miscel- 

 laneous materials small objects should be sorted out and put in 

 small boxes or other containers that then can be placed in wooden 

 boxes or otherwise protected. More detailed instructions are 

 given in the sections that follow. 



Shipping. — Shipments intended for the National Collections 

 should be addressed to : 



U. S. National Museum, 



Smithsonian Institution, 



Washington, D. C. 



In some cases it may be possible to forward through the Quarter- 

 master Corps. Small lots may be sent by parcel post". Shipments 

 from foreign lands sent by other means should be addressed to 

 the U. S. National Museum, Washington, D. C, care of U. S. 

 Despatch Agent, New York, New Orleans, or San Francisco, 

 according to the section of the world from which the material is 

 forwarded. Such shipments are sent from the place of entry to 

 Washington in bond and are cleared through customs there. 



All specimens that merit permanent preservation will be re- 

 corded as gifts from the donor, who will be given due credit in 

 the Museum's records. 



