656 MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



from the back and the sides of the tail en masse , 

 commencing by making an incission along each side 

 of the dorsal fin, from the back part of the skull to 

 the caudal fin, and continuing it round to the an- 

 terior part of the anal fin, when the greater portion 

 of the muscle can be dissected away on either side 

 separately, taking particular care not to interfere 

 with the ribs, or the styles which branch off from 

 them, and which are sometimes continued along the 

 vertebrae nearly to the end of the tail. In some 

 fishes, such as the eels, ifc will not be so easy to 

 remove the muscle, on account of the number of 

 small bones which pierce it. Such specimens as are 

 intended for skeletons and cannot be otherwise 

 prepared, will be better preserved in spirits pro- 

 vided it is of good quality, that too many specimens 

 are not placed together in it, and especially that it may 

 have free communication with the abdominal cavity, 

 otherwise the ribs will lose their attachments to the 

 vertebrae. Skeletons and bones preserved according 

 to the foregoing instructions and carefully stowed 

 in boxes with soft packing, can be as well prepared 

 afterwards as fresh specimens, provided they are 

 not allowed to get wet after being packed. 



MOLLUSKS. 



In collecting Mollusca the dredge is the important 

 instrument, a single scrape of which, in deep water 

 in an unknown portion of the bed of the sea, is 

 worth hours searching along the strand. " Having 



