Taxidermy . 



315 



the specimen should not be dried m the sun, as that would affect the 

 colours. Lobsters, crayfish, prawns, *fcc, should have the hinder 

 part detached immediately behind the back shell. This gives ready 

 access to the interior, which should be cleared out, when the soap 

 brush should be applied, the inside stuffed with cotton, the two por- 

 tions united with gum or glue or a pin or two, the ends of which 

 can be snipped off. The legs can then be arranged on a board as 

 with crabs. 



RADIATE ANIMALS. 

 Star-fish and sea-eggs should first be immersed in fresh water 

 for several hours, to extract the salt. The former, if of small tize, 

 may be dipped for a few minutes in boiling water and dried in 

 the shade. Larger ones require to be opened with the knife along 

 the lower surface of the arms, and the soft interior sucked and 

 squeezed out. The solution of corrosive sublimate can be poured 

 ia so as to reach the whole of the interior ; the specimen may then 

 be dried. Sea -eggs should have the interior cleaned of their con- 

 tents, by removing the mouth (which can afterwards be replaced) 

 and washing out the inside, following this up by pouring in the 

 solution of corrosive sublimate, and shaking it about so as to 

 diffuse it. With respect to crabs, ftar-fish, sea-eggs, corallines, 

 sea-weeds, and many other marine productions, I would wish the 

 collector to be impressed with the fact that the principal object is 

 thoroughly to get rid of the salt by a good soaking in fresh water. 

 Unless this be effected the specimen is apt to become damp, 

 mouldy, and will ultimately fall to'pieces, as sea salt is highly de- 

 liquescent, and in damp weather attracts moisture from the at- 

 mosphere. 



SHELLS, &c. 



The land shells of India are more numerous in point of species, 

 and exhibit more singularity in form, variety in markings, and 

 beauty of colour, than is generally supposed ; and although most 

 of them come under the designation of snails, they are objects of 

 great interest to the collector, whether scientific or otherwise. 

 They are to be found under bark, logs, and stones, as well as on 

 the trunks and leaves of trees, under dead leaves, and in tufts of 



