MICHIGAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
165 
BY ALEXANDER G. RUTHVEN. 
Few groups will better repay the collector than the reptiles and 
amphibians, for more specimens of most of the species are needed, and 
there are few regions from which collections are not greatly to be desir- 
ed. For these reasons persons interested in natural history, as well as 
collectors generally, should make an effort to preserve at least such 
material as comes to hand. The writer is convinced that much of the 
neglect of these groups by collectors is due to a lack of knowledge of 
how to conveniently preserve specimens, and having often been asked 
for information on this point has attempted in this paper to formulate 
simple instructions that may be carried out without an elaborate equip- 
ment by persons who wish to obtain specimens for the museum. 
The apparatus needed for the collection and field study of reptiles and 
amphibians is not extensive. The list given below contains the tools 
and materials that the experience of the writer has found most useful. 
Of these things, the collecting implements are not, of course, absolutely 
necessary if one intends to preserve only the specimens that are easily 
caught in the hands, but the other tools and materials are quite essen- 
tial to the proper preservation of specimens and should always be 
carried. 
EQUIPMENT. 
For Collecting Sj^ecirnens. 
Gun and ammunition. 
Turtle net. 
Dip net. 
Game bag or creel. 
Placental forceps. 
Fish-hooks. 
Cotton cloth bags of various sizes. 
For Preserving Specimens. 
Scalpel. 
Small scissors. 
Bone saw. 
Rubber gloves. 
Hypodermic and universal 
Measuring cup. 
syringes and needles. 
Formalin ( Sherings) . 
Alcohol (96%). 
Glycerine. 
Arsenic, salt, powdered alum, 
tow or cotton batting, large 
skinning knife, strong linen 
thread, surgeon's needles, gal- 
vanized iron wires (No. 18), if 
dry skins are to be put up. 
Bottles, vials and corks. 
Pans, preferably of granite ware. 
J From the University of Michigan Museum of Natural History. 
