86 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



" In your toxicological section, I do not find any opinion on 

 atmospheric poisoning of acari, &c. 



" If not giving you too much, trouble, I should be glad to know 

 whether you think spirits of tui'pentine would be efficacious if 

 allowed to evaporate in a case of birds in which moths have 

 lately shown themselves. 



" I am unwilling to have them taken out, in fact they have not 

 been cased twelve months, and I thought of boring a hole in an 

 obscure corner with bit and brace, and inserting a saturated 

 sponge, and then closing it again. 



" Waterton says — ' The atmosphere of spirit of turpentine will 

 allow neither acarus nor any insect to live in it.' Do you 

 believe this ? " 



My answer to him, and to all such correspondents, was that I 

 had repeatedly proved that all such little vermin did not care a 

 bit for the fumes of benzoline, nor of any spirits whatever, as I 

 liad caused gallons of turpentine, &c., to be poured into large 

 cases containing specimens without producing the smallest effect, 

 unless it absolutely touched them, but that I had partly suc- 

 ceeded by introducing cyanide of potassium (deadly poison) inta 

 small cases containing birds, through a hole bored for the pur- 

 pose ; but it was objectionable — (1) on the score of its danger 

 to health, should the poisonous vapour escape ; and (2) because 

 it deliquesced rapidly in any but the driest atmosphere, by its 

 affinity for damp, and, consequently, often caused mildew in 

 cases of birds, &c., into which it had been introduced. The 

 fumes of sulphur during combustion are, on the contrary, really 

 of service in destroying insect life, as evidenced in the fumiga- 

 tion of hospital wards, &c., but I cannot tell how anyone may 

 burn sulphur in specimen cases without half choking him- 

 self, and probably setting on fire the fittings and spoiling the 

 work altogether. It is also objectionable because it readily 

 discharges certain colours from fabrics, flowers, and birds' 

 feathers. My advice is, therefore, to pull to pieces any case 

 infested with insects, to bum all fittings not absolutely valu- 

 able,* and to drench with turpentine all specimens, together with 

 all the rockwork and fittings desired to be retained. 



* I would indeed advi-e the destruction by hurning of the birds themselves even, should 

 they be cuuimon specimens, cr easily replaced. 



