Oct. 1836. ADVICE TO COLLECTORS. 599 



entered in the catalogue, so that if hereafter its locality be 

 doubted, the collector may say in good truth, Every speci- 

 men of mine was ticketed on the spot/^ Any thing which 

 is folded up in paper, or put into a separate box, ought to 

 have a number on the outside (with the exception perhaps of 

 geological specimens), but more especially a duplicate num- 

 ber on the inside attached to the specimen itself. A series 

 of small numbers should be printed from 0 to 5000 ; a stop 

 must be added to those numbers which can be read upside 

 down (as 699. or 86.). It is likewise convenient to have the 

 different thousands printed on differently coloured paper, so 

 that when unpacking, a single glance tells the approximate 

 number. 



For specimens in spirits of wine, I found the following 

 plan answered admirably : Get a set of steel dies from 0 to 9, 

 a small punch, and some sheets of trebly -^Kiok. tinfoil. The 

 numbers may at any time be stamped in a line, with a hole 

 punched in front of each, and then cut off with a pair of 

 scissors as wanted. These tickets cost little trouble in 

 making, and do not corrode. Each specimen in spirits 

 should be loosely folded up in very open gauze, or some 

 such stuff ; the string which ties up the corners may likewise 

 secure the number. Use nothing but glass jars ; but these 

 are difficult to be obtained of any size out of Europe. Jars 

 of earthenware, and wooden casks, either leak, or allow of 

 evaporation ; and when such are used, it is not easy to know 

 whether the specimens are too much crowded (a very com- 

 mon fault), or in what state the spirit is in, which through 

 glass can be judged of by its colour. Bear in mind, that in 

 nine out of ten specimens which are spoiled, it is owing to 

 the spirit being too weak. The jars should be closed with 

 a bung covered by bladder, twice by common tinfoil, and 

 by bladder again ; let the bladder soak till half putrid. I 

 found this plan quite worth the trouble it cost. 



Few, excepting those who have travelled in ships, know 

 the extreme inconvenience of want of room ; and on this much 

 depends : but if it be practicable, keep three or four sets of 



