How to Use Arsenic. 



I am frequently asked if I am ever 

 troubled with insects in my Natural His- 

 tory specimens and I only have one answer : 

 — Never — and if my directions are followed ; 

 no one ever need be. After skinning, im- 

 mediately cover the moist skin with pure 

 arsenic — be particular to cover every part, j 

 I keep my arsenic in a large box and put 



my skins right into the arsenic; pull outj 

 the leg and wing bones as far as possible 

 so as to introduce the arsenic to the ex- 

 treme parts ; the eye sockets, skull andj 

 mouth should be well covered with thej 

 preservative. I usually, before mounting,j 

 place the specimen in my office cellar, andi 

 let it remain twenty-four or more hours, so| 

 as to get well impregnated with arsenic.j 

 After mounting, brush the bill, legs belowj 

 the feathers, feet, and ends of the wings' 

 that cannot be skinned, with a solution of; 

 corrosive sublimate, in alcohol — about a 

 teaspoonful of the former to one-half pint: 

 of the latter. I have bird skins that I have 

 designedly left exposed to insects for thir-! 

 ty five years which to-day are uninjured; 

 and will remain so forever — that is a goodj 

 long time, I know, but they are good for: 

 it. I know of several collectors who have 

 laughed at my "useless waste of arsenic," 

 thinking a little just as good, or who pre- 

 fer arseni(ial soap, or some other preserva- 

 tives, whose collections are entirely ruined. 

 I have been in the habit of using from fif- , 

 teen to thu-ty-five pounds a year for thirty- 

 seven years in my private collection. It 

 created some merriment in court where I 

 was stimmoned as a witness in a case of 

 arsenical poisoning, when asked if I was 

 familiar with arsenic, and I replied that I 

 had probably used one. half ton of it. 

 "What!" said the counsel, "given one-half 

 ton to your patients !" When I receive ; 

 dry skins, I pack them very loosely in a : 

 tight large box, leaving space for an iron 

 kettle, in which is placed live coals. On 

 these pour sulphur and close the box tight, 

 leaving it for twenty.four hours or so; and j 

 if there are insects in the skins you will 

 find them dead. Then subject the skin to I 

 the same arsenical treatment as a fresh 

 uliia. — Wm. Wood, East Windsor Hill, j 

 Feb, 12, 1884. -) 



O.&O. IX.Mar.188 -. p. 1^. 



