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JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). [Vol. II., PART I. 



APPENDIX. 

 HINTS TO AMATEUR CONCIIOLOGISTS, 



BEING SUGGESTIONS FOR THE COLLECTION AND PREPARATION 

 OF SPECIMENS. 



By Hugh Cuming, Esq., F.B.S. 

 Land Shells. 



Land shells are found in many places, such as under stones, in 

 clefts of rocks, on the sides of hills and mountains, under decayed 

 wood and trees, or the trunks or leaves of trees, at the root of 

 trees and bushes, in decayed vegetable matter, dried leaves and 

 moss, on small plants — in fact, almost every situation gives them, 

 except open and exposed places. Look for them diligently when 

 you are out collecting ; where you find dead specimens you will 

 soon find living ones. When collected, bring them home and put 

 them in a pail, bucket, or some large vessel, and pour a quantity of 

 cold water upon them, and cover up the vessel for two or three hours, 

 which will cause the animals to come out a little. It is necessary 

 to cover them up, or else they will crawl away. When they are a 

 little out, run off the cold water, and pour a quantity of boiling 

 hot water on them, so as to cover them well ; let them remain a 

 few minutes to cool a little, then take out the animal with a large 

 pin or needle, as you would a periwinkle ; when they are all done, 

 take one of your soft brushes and wash off gently all the dirt and 

 filth in clean water, then place them in another vessel of fresh 

 water until all are done, then shake out well the water that is in 

 them, and place them out to dry with their mouths downwards, 

 but cot in the sun ; in a short time they will be dry. If they are 

 small you can pack them away in small boxes, writing the locality 

 and the situation in which you found them on the cover, for 

 localities must be paid much attention to ; but should the 

 shells be rather large, then wrap up each shell in a paper by 



