DEEP-SEA EXPLOKATION. 
417 
“sea fleas,” found in tlie shoal waters of nearly every sea and particularly abundant 
in Alaska. Tlie specimen was first piepared by removing the skin and loose flesh, 
then tied in a small net and lowered over the shi|)’s side, where it was allowed to 
hang just clear of the bottom. It would Ijc discovered immediately and myriads ol 
active little helpers would go to work, a few hours’ time being all they rerptired to 
clean the bones of every particle of flesh. They would eat bones and all if sufti( ient 
time was allowed tliem, but they like the soft |)ai'ts best, and a. little watchfulness on 
the part of the collector will insure a successful roughing out without injury to the 
skeleton. 
In i)acking be sure that the skeleton is dry, ])articularly if it is a small one. In 
the case of ai largei one it does not matter so much. 
If it is the size of a deer, it should be disjointed, severing the back bone Just 
behind the ribs, in order to make a coni[)act bundle. In larger specimens the back- 
bone may be cut into several sections, and the leg-bones separated at each Joint. In 
the event of still smaller packages being reipiired, the breast bone may be separated 
from the ribs by cutting through the cartilage Just below the end of each rib, when 
the latter may be detached from the back bone, and thus dismantled a good-sized 
skeleton can be packed in a small box or barrel. 
Straw, hay, or excelsior is the best packing material. Kelp, gulf weed, and all 
salt marsh or sea grasses should be avoided. In case of large skeletons salt may be 
sprinkled on the bones when it is imi)ra.cticable to dry them, and the skeletons of 
seals, porpoises, etc., may be packed in salt. 
The tag or label should be no larger than rerpiired; it should be sufflciently 
strong to withstand frecpient handling, and a metal eyelet at one end will add much to 
its security. It should be legibly marked with the following data: The number, 
detinite locality, date, year, montli, and duiy; sex, using the ordinary signs $ for 
male and 9 for female, and name of the collector. Other iidormation is better given 
in the tield book. The label should be tied with a srjuare knot, to one leg, and the 
ends cut to not more than an incli in length; cotton sail-twine makes a safe and con- 
venient seizing. Skins require drying before they are packed for shipment or placed 
in a storeroom, unless the latter is sulticiently warm and dry; it is not good practice 
to dry by artificial heat. Skins are liable to be attacked by insects about the bill, 
feet, shafts of wing, and tail feathers, etc., and any good insect poison may be used 
as a preventive. 
T\ie Jield notes of a collector should be full and exjdicit, as they determine largely 
the value of the specimen. They should be written in a book, on one side of the ])age, 
and should include observations on the habits, etc., of the various species, the localities 
they fre([uent, their food, and generally their life-history. He should catalogue his 
specimens, beginuing with jSTo. 1, numbering them serially as taken, in order to avoid 
duplication, making sure also that the numbers on label and catalogue correspond. 
1 '. c. B. ma-27 
