8 
Sometimes a specimen will become so decomposed in hot weather that 
the hair slips and the skin becomes valueless. The skeleton of such a 
specimen may be preserved, and in any case the skull of most specimens 
is worth preserving. A scientific mammal specimen ordinarily consists of 
two separate parts — the skin and the skull, and, regardless of the market 
value of the skin, the skin and skull are of about equal scientific value. 
They should go together, and in some cases both are necessary for identi- 
fication. Often either is valuable for separate study and is sufficient- to 
substantiate a record. The skeleton may have the flesh roughly cut away 
and dried in the air, or if small, may be preserved in alcohol. When 
several specimens are available, it is a good plan to preserve one or two 
as skeletons; as well as alcoholic or formalin specimens for anatomical 
dissection. 
Where it is impracticable to make any proper preparation of an 
unidentified specimen, it may be possible to preserve sufficient fragments 
for determination. For a bird, the wing, foot, tail, or head should be 
saved, or all of them if possible. For a mammal, the skull, a fragment of 
skin, tail, or foot should be saved, dried or in pickle. 
TYPES AND TOPOTYPES 
The type of a species or a subspecies is a single specimen from which 
the original description is made. There can be only one type of any 
given form. 
Type specimens are highly valued in the scientific world and most 
of them are usually found in the larger museums where they serve as 
standards of comparison for specimens collected subsequently. Specimens 
other than the type used in making the original description are termed 
cotypes or paratypes ; cotype when no type is designated, paratype when 
a type is indicated. 
Topotypes, or specimens taken in the same locality as the type 
specimen of any species or subspecies, have a special scientific value for 
comparative purposes in identifying specimens, and collectors who are 
fortunate enough to be in the "type locality” of any Canadian species, 
are urged to preserve topotypes of the species found there. In the 
appendix to Miller’s "List of North American Recent Mammals, 1923,” 
pages 517-526, there is a list, classified by provinces, of one hundred and 
sixty-seven different localities in Canada from wffiich two hundred and 
fifty-six different species and subspecies of mammals were originally 
described and named. Anderson’s “Catalogue of Canadian Recent Mam- 
mals” (1947, pages 202-215) gives a classified list of two hundred and 
twenty-four type localities in the region covered by the Catalogue. 
“Freaks” are not desired by a scientific natural history museum. 
Two-headed calves or other monstrosities are of little interest. Albino 
(white) and melanistic specimens (black, or with excess of dark colour 
pigment) are of some interest as a matter of record, but the specimens 
are of most interest to students of genetics and to fur-breeders who desire 
the living animal. 
Specimens of either mammals or birds intended for a museum are 
much more desirable in the form of skins than as mounted specimens. 
Skins are more convenient for purposes of comparative study, are leas 
