346 



Taxidermy. 



fern. To prepare the shell, the best way is to place the snailg in 

 a vessel of any kind and sprinkle them over with a little water. 

 When the animals protrude, boiling water suddenly dashed upon 

 them immediately kills them, when they may readily be extracted 

 with a pin. The spiral shells found in fresh water maybe similar- 

 ly treated. The bivalve shell inhabiting the same localities, as 

 the fresh water mussels, will immediately open on the application 

 of boiling water, when the animal should be removed, and the 

 sides of the shell brought together with them. While drying 

 they should not be exposed to the sun, as, in their case and that 

 of all other shells covered with an epidermis, or thin outer coat — 

 that substance will crack and shrivel up. All kinds of marine 

 bivalve shells should be treated as the fresh water mussel pre- 

 viously referred to. Many spiral shells, like periwinkles may be 

 boiled, the water and shells being placed on the fire when cold, 

 and the animal extracted with a pin. But whenever the shell is 

 large, or thick, or has a glossy enamelled surface, the action of 

 boiling water would be highly injurious. The best mode of pro- 

 cedure therefore is to pack them away among sand until putrefac- 

 tion has sufficiently advanced to enable one to pick out part of the 

 animal, and shake and wash out the remainder, in which latter 

 process a syringe will be found useful. One genus of shells, re- 

 quires special treatment ; I allude to the Chitons, many jointed 

 shells which adhere to the rocks like the limpet. They should 

 be soaked for several hours in fresh water, the animal is to be 

 scooped out with a knife, and the shell extended on a slip of wood, 

 and secured there with thread or string, for a day or two, or until 

 thoroughly dry. It is almost unnecesary to give instructions as 

 to the localities to be searched for marine shells: but I would 

 strongly urge upon every one interested in making a conchological 

 collection, to procure a light dredge as the means of obtaining not 

 only the deep water shells, but Crustacea, star-fish, sea urchins, 

 corallines, sea-weeds, kc. 



PLANTS. 



The preservation of specimens of plants, by drying them be- 

 tween sheets of paper, is a very simple process in the abstract, but 

 affords much scope for the display of taste, and many plants re- 



