70 collector's manual 



the large amount of water in them strong alcohol, over 70 percent, 

 must be used and changed at least twice, which may not be 

 practicable in the field except in the case of very small individuals. 



All sea urchins may be preserved dry. After capture they 

 should be placed in fresh water for a few hours; this will cause 

 them to straighten out their spines. They should then be boiled 

 for a quarter to half an hour to harden the tissues, after which 

 they may be dried, either in the sun or by artificial heat. In 

 the Tropics artificial heat is usually necessaiy for thorough drying. 

 Where facilities are limited, they may be dried directly after their 

 removal from the sea. 



In the Indo-Pacific region is a type of sea urchin that it is 

 well to leave alone. It is low and flattened, 4 to 6 inches in 

 diameter, and has a very soft, parchmentlike shell, with short 

 and widely scattered spines which are fine and exceedingly sharp; 

 many of these. spines are provided with poison glands which are 

 capable of inflicting dangerous wounds. It lives mostly in rather 

 deep water and is not likely to be met with along the shore. 

 It is well known to native divers. 



It is well, also, to avoid the common dark-colored urchins with 

 very long, slender spines which may be 15 inches in length. These 

 spines can inflict painful wounds. One of these needle-urchins, 

 found in the Indo-Pacific region, has short, fine poison spines 

 among the long ones. 



Starfishes. — Starfishes occur along all coasts, some kinds on 

 reefs, rocks, or hard bottom, others buried just beneath the 

 surface of sandy mud. They should be placed in fresh water 

 for a few hours, which will cause them to straighten out their 

 arms, then boiled and thoroughly dried, by artificial heat if 

 possible. All starfishes are harmless. 



