I4 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [Vor. XXXIV. 
compartments, each of which has a door that ought to open 
downward. The bones are stored into these compartments 
according. to the kind and side, and in series of consecutive 
numbers. Each large bone in the body has its own section of 
the shelves. The size of each section may be calculated on 
the basis of the space necessary to accommodate five hundred, 
one thousand, or a larger series of specimens. The kind and 
numbers (x—x) of bones are marked in this case (because 
changes will take place in the number or quality of the exact 
contents, v. below) preferably on cards, which are nailed or 
otherwise attached to the drawers. 
The skulls, including lower jaws, it is best to store separately, 
in drawers accommodating a certain number each, and carrying 
in a prominent place a record of their contents. 
So far for simple preliminary storing. The next step in 
arranging a large bone collection is the separation of each 
series of bones into three subseries, containing the normal, 
pathological, and anomalous bones. 
The normal bones should be further subdivided accord- 
ing to sex (which is also applicable. to the other subseries, if 
large). A still further advantageous subdivision of the series 
of bones, but only in the largest collections, is that based on 
racial (nationality) character of the bones. 
The bones of children, and those of negroes (unless plentiful) 
and rare subjects, are best kept separately, a large box being 
provided for each skeleton. 
When an anomalous or pathological bone or bones are re- 
moved from a series, a card should be kept with the series of 
the location of the specimens. 
To complete the value of a bone collection, a card catalogue 
is a necessity. This may be conducted with various degrees 
of thoroughness. The simplest catalogue is that where each 
skeleton receives one card, on which are stated the history of 
the body (copy of the record made before dissection) and the 
main pathological or anomalous conditions observed on the 
skeleton. The ideal and most complete catalogue would be 
that where each bone would receive a card, which would bear 
its special characters and its dimensions. 
