1837.]. 



and Preserving Animals. 



193 



but many of them are not firm enough to be capable of supporting their 

 own weight upon threads ; these should be put into separate bottles. 



Shell-fish may be put into fjie vessels in any manner, as the shell 

 preserves them from pressure ; but if they died projecting out of the 

 shell, they should be suspended in the spirit. 



If of the spiral kind, a small piece of the shell should be broken off at 

 the tip, to allow the spirit to enter the posterior parts ; for the body of 

 the animal fills up the whole mouth of the shell, and the other end be- 

 comes putrid before the spirit can get to it. 



Snakes should have some spirit injected by the mouth and anus, as I 

 find they are apt to become a little putrid about the belly, and lose the 

 cuticle at that part ; then they should be coiled up in close spiral turns 

 round the inside of a small vesseL 



Lizards might be suspended by the tails in long bottles. 



In some that are very long, the tail may be bent upon the body, or 

 rolled in spiral turns on the inside of the vessel. 



The Echinus, with the spines, should be wrapped up in cotton, and 

 either put into a wide-mouthed bottle, or, for greater security, into a 

 round box, with holes in it, so that it can neither touch nor press upon 

 the sides, and the box immersed in spirit. 



If the animals are suspended in barrels, cords should be run across 

 the mouth, to which they may be suspended, and then the tops put in* 

 and the spirit added afterwards. 



The barrels should in general be tolerably deep*. 



>t 



Of changing the Spirit.— Animals, or parts, that are put into spirit^ 

 should have it changed at the expiration of a fortnight j as the first 

 spirit which penetrates the substance of the part to be preserved, will 

 be considerably lowered and discoloured by the fluids of the animal : 

 perhaps it will not be necessary to change the spirit oftener than once ; 

 for by the time above mentioned the first spirit will have united suffici- 

 ently with the part, and have checked putrefaction, as far as such di- 

 luted spirit can, but will not be sufficiently strong to continue the pre- 

 servation of the part ; however, the time will vary according to circum- 

 stances. If in a hot climate, the spirit may require changing sooner ; 

 if in a cold one, later ; if the part be soft or gelatinous, the spirit will 

 also require being changed sooner ; and if a hard, or firm part, it may 

 be later. 



Another advantage arising from spirit sufficiently strong is its own 

 preservation ; for when much diluted and joined with the animal juices, 

 it changes from spirit to vinegar, the effect of w r hich is, that the bones 

 of the animal, or parts, are softened so as to be unfit for a skeleton. 



If spirit cannot readily be procured, strong brine will in most cases 

 answer the purpose. 



