DEEP-SEA EXPLORATION, 
409 
alive, and as soon as tliey have filled out transfer tliem quickly to weak alcohol and 
adjust their arms during the jirocess of hardening. If they are to he dried, ])lace them 
in a solution of arsenate of soda for a few minutes after they are I'enioved from tlie 
lirst batli to jirotect them from the attacks of insects. If they are to be preserved in 
alcohol, remove the slime witli a brnsh, make them up in packages wrajiped with 
cheese-cloth, and treat them as deep-sea stariish. They are sometimes dipiied in hot 
water in preparation for drying, but the alcohol bath is to be preferred. 
Holothurians should be kept in a weak bath three or four hours, then injected, 
wrapped in cheese cloth, placed in tanks containing 00 per cent alcohol, and protected 
from ]iressure by excelsior. 
Orinoids, actinians, small corals, etc.., may be treated in the manner above 
described for, starfish and holothurians. Large corals, too Imlky to be preserved in 
alcohol, are cured with great difliculty ou board ship, yet they may be safely and 
conveniently transported by first hanging them up until the Avater is drained from 
them, the pi'ociess being accelerated by spraying the specimen with old alcohol, then 
jiacked in common salt, using a barrel or box as most convenient, taking care to pack 
the salt snugly around the bi'anches to give them ]iroper suiiport. 
The coral should be surrounded with a. sufficient (piantity of the preservati\^e to 
absorb all of its moisture Avithont forming brine. If salt is not available, clean, dry 
sand maybe substituted, providing it is excluded from the delicate septa by Avrappiug 
the specimen in cheese-cloth or other suitable material. Large sponges may be 
prepared and transported in the same manner. 
Other invertebrates are Aisually ])reserA^ed in alcoholic mixtures, although some 
may lie dried. Jelly-fisli should be hardened in a saturated solution of picric acid, 
subjected to a preliminary bath in weak alcohol, wrapjied separately in cheese-cloth, 
placed in alcohol of 00 per cent, and surrounded with exiielsior to protect them from 
pressure. Another simple and effective method of protecting delicate, soft-bodied 
forms fi’om undue pressure in tanks is to place them in thin Avooden packing-boxes, 
in which holes are cut to allow free circulation of alcohol. 
THE OOLLBOTION AND PRESERVATION OF MINETE FORMS. 
Our remarks haA^e tlius far been confined to forms of sufficient size to be readily 
seen and picked out singly from the mass in the table sieve, yet there are in every 
successful haul of dredge or trawl a uudtitude of minute invertebrates demanding 
the careful attention of the collector. 
The process of wasliing the mud from the specimens through the meshes of the 
table sieve into the tub strainer (plate xxxiv) has already been described. When it 
has been relieved of its contents the strainer bags will contain more or less mud, 
Ibraminifera, shells, and other light matter, while the heavier material has settled to 
the bottom of the tub, the final disposal of which de])ends upon the time the collector 
is able to devote to it. 
A very satisfactory examination may be made by first turning the contents of the 
strainer bags, four or five quarts at a time, into a small tub partially filled Avith Avater, 
Stirling the contents with a rajiid, Avhirling motion until the soft, light forms float to 
the surface, Avhen it is strained into another tub through a 20-mesh sieve, the contents 
of the latter being placed in a pan of Avater, repeating the operation until all the mud 
