190 



Directions for Collecting 



[Jan. 



parts contained in the hinder portion, as the claspers of the male, 

 should be preserved in spirit. 



If a female, separate the two oviducts through their whole length, 

 where they run along the abdomen, on each side of the spine ; but keep 

 them attached to the pelvis in front, and preserve the whole. 



If with young, or eggs, take the whole out in the same way, without 

 opening the oviducts. 



The peculiarities of the foetus in these animals should be attended to. 



If not of the Ray or Shark kind, take out such parts from the abdo- 

 men as are uncommon or singular. 



If fish of the roe-kind, (i. e. Osseous and Cyclo-stomous Fishes), then 

 cut transversely through the fish near the lower part of the roe, some 

 way above the anus. This saves part of the roe, with the connexion 

 between it and the anus, the principal parts concerned in generation. 



The tail may be cut off some inches below the anus. 



The stomach and intestines may be saved, if any thing particular is 

 observed in them. 



Eyes of fishes are proper objects of preservation. 



Separate and preserve the heads of such fishes as have any thing 

 singular about the teeth or gills, and are too large to be preserved 

 entire. 



If there should be small ones of the same kind, they are to be kept 

 whole ; but still preserve such parts of the large specimens as are 

 curious. „ 



Of Crustaceans and Insects. — Lobsters, Crabs, Beetles, Flies, Butter- 

 flies, &c, may be dried, because their external covering is their hardest 

 part, and alters little by shrinking. This is to be done when the ex- 

 ternal form only is required for examination. 



In preparing them for drying, great care is to be taken to preserve all 

 their external parts as perfect and as expressive of the natural progres- 

 sive action as possible. 



Crabs, Lobsters, and Crawfish, when dried, should be wrapt in very 

 soft paper, and then packed in cotton so as not to allow of their being 

 displacd in the case, nor to touch one another. 



Insects should be pinned down upon a board or piece of cork, or upon 

 wax which has been melted and poured along the bottom of a flat box : 

 the pin should be greased or oiled, to prevent rust, which would render 

 it difficult to take off the insect. If the pins were pointed at both ends, 

 they would the more readily admit of being turned. The pin must be 

 made so fast in either of these substances as to allow of the motion of the 

 box in all directions, and the fastening must be in proportion to the 

 weight of the animal. To preserve them for anatomical examination 

 they should be put into bottles with spirit. 



