66 collector's manual 



specimens without liquid should not be attempted unless the 

 animals have remained in the full-strength pickling solution 10 

 days or 2 weeks. Only in emergency cases should incompletely 

 preserved animals be shipped moist, for the chances are that 

 they will spoil before they reach their destination, and so be 

 of little or no value. 



EARTHWORMS 



Earthworms are of considerable scientific interest; several 

 specimens should be preserved from every locality in which they 

 are found. 



The animals are best killed in 8 to 10 percent alcohol in a 

 flat dish. This solution should straighten out the animals; those 

 that do not straighten out can be manipulated by hand. As soon 

 as the worms are dead, they should be placed in about 10 percent 

 formalin composed of 1 part of the commercial article in 10 

 parts of water. When time sufiices, it is well before killing to 

 allow the earthworms to clear the alimentary tract of ingested 

 material. This often contains soil and sand and therefore inter- 

 feres with later sectioning of the animals, which may be desirable 

 for purposes of study. The clearing is best accomplished by 

 permitting them to feed overnight on soft, moist paper. 



Narcotized specimens tend to shrink less on preservation. 

 Narcotization can be accomplished by suspending a rag saturated 

 with chloroform in a jar containing the worms. After they are 

 insensible to touch, they can be placed in the 10 percent formalin 

 solution. 



Label as directed for other invertebrates. 



