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Silver fish 
Silverfish are sometimes known as fish-moths and feed largely on 
starch and glue, finding their food in the bindings of books, on heavily 
coated paper, on gummed labels, and even on wallpapers. They are 
slender, silvery grey, wingless insects which run rapidly to a dark corner 
when exposed to light. They may most readily be controlled by cleaning 
the part of the building which they infest and following this up with a 
sprinkling of sodium fluoride, in the way recommended for destroying 
cockroaches. 
FUNGI AND LICHENS 
Fungi and lichens attack many of the larger museum specimens, 
especially before collection. They may be found on skulls and other 
bones, on archaeological “surface” specimens, on totem poles, house-posts, 
and so on. It is often felt that their presence is unimportant and a guar- 
antee in some way of the antiquity of the specimen. They should be 
removed at once, as there is every probability that they will spore as soon 
as they get damp, and that other material will be contaminated. If 
difficult to remove, they may be softened with a dilute solution of ammonia in 
water. A one per cent solution of carbolic acid in water may also be used as 
a softening agent. 
MATERIALS OF ANIMAL ORIGIN 
Antler 
Antler resembles bone in its general characteristics and may be treated 
in the same way. Most ethnological specimens made of this material will 
be found in good condition and, as it is but little subject to deterioration, 
they will seldom need treatment. The condition of archaeological speci- 
mens depends on the chemical nature of the soil in which they were buried, 
some being in excellent condition and others almost entirely eaten away by 
the solvent actions of what are loosely termed humous acids. Such speci- 
mens should be immersed in a thin solution of celluloid in acetone and 
allowed to remain in the bath until no more air bubbles rise from the 
specimen even when it is turned over. They should then be taken out, 
dried, and the treatment repeated. Specimens which are suspected of 
containing salt, due to burial on the seacoast or in other saline soils, should 
be soaked in repeated changes of water until tests show that all salt has 
been removed. Antler is slightly susceptible to the attacks of insects, 
especially when fresh. 
Babiche 
Babiche, or shaganappi (hide cut into thongs), becomes dry and brittle 
with age. It is best treated with vaseline, which in the case of snowshoes 
may best be applied by rubbing it on with a cloth, working from both 
sides and removing any surplus with a clean dry rag. Only a little vaseline 
should be used, and two or three applications at intervals of a week or so 
will be found better than a single heavy treatment. 
