58 THE TAXIDERMIST'S GUIDE. 



preserved specimens that I have seen are those where the con- 

 tents of the abdomen have been taken out and filled with fine 

 sand. I have preserved several in this way, and find it answer 

 the purpose." 



Mr. Donovan makes the following observations on the preser- 

 vation of Spiders : 



" To determine whether some species of Spiders could be pre- 

 served with their natural colors, I put several into spirits of wine ; 

 those with gibbous bodies soon after discharged a very consid- 

 erable quantity of viscid matter, and therewith all their beautiful 

 colors ; the smallest retained their form, and only appeared rather 

 paler in the other colors than when they were living. 



"During the course of last Summer, among other Spiders, I 

 met with a rare species ; it was of a bright yellow color, elegantly 

 marked with black, red, green, and purple ; by some accident it 

 was unfortunately crushed to pieces in the chip-box wherein it 

 was confined, and was, therefore, thrown aside as useless ; a 

 month or more after that time I observed that such parts of the 

 skin as had dried against the inside of the box, retained the 

 original brightness of color in a considerable degree. To further 

 the experiment, I made a similar attempt, with some caution, on 

 the body of another Spider, and, though the colors were not per- 

 fectly preserved, they appeared distinct. 



"From further observations I find, that if you kill the Spider 

 and immediately after extract the entrails, then inflate them by 

 means of a blow-pipe, you may preserve them tolerably well ; 

 you must cleane them on the inside no more than is sufficient to 

 prevent moulcliness, lest you injure the colors, which certainly, 

 in many kinds, depend on substance that lies beneath the skin." 



Scorpions, and all the Spider tribe, maybe sent home in spirits, 

 which will preserve them perfectly, and when taken out and 

 dried, they will be found to have suffered nothing from their im- 

 mersion. We have seen some specimens sent up, after being sent 

 home in spirits, which rivalled any which have been preserved in 

 a recent state. The animals of this class are particularly liable 

 to the attacks of insects, particularly in warm countries, on which 

 account the mode of transporting them and keeping them in 

 spirits U, perhaps, superior to all others. If, however, they are 

 set up in a warm climate, they should be well soaked with the 



