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and sphagnum moss, and suspect that a sponge would serve adequately. The medium 
is prepared by soaking it in water and then squeezing out most of the water. It is then 
placed in the bag and the eggs shallowly imbedded in it. Too wet a medium is to be 
avoided, though the danger is less acute here than if the eggs were buried in the 
material. The bag is inflated slightly and then sealed with a rubber band. 
“Saturation of the atmosphere within the bag is indicated by condensation on its 
inner surface. Unless the incubation period is very prolonged, it is usually unnecessary 
to add more water. The general well-being of the eggs can be observed through the 
plastic, so unless measurements of the eggs need to be taken the bag can be left closed 
until the eggs hatch.” 
As young snakes may be able to slit the thin plastic of the bag with their 
eye teeth, it is advised to keep bags containing snake eggs in a snake-light 
container. 
SHIPPING 
Any collections which add to our knowledge of Canadian herpetology 
may be donated to the National Museum of Canada collection. In addition, 
any specimens or collections may be sent to the curator for identification. In 
return, the museum will usually want to keep a portion of such collection, but 
details may be arranged with the curator by correspondence before the speci- 
mens are forwarded. All specimens should be labelled with locality, date, 
and collector, and a letter giving further details and the collector’s address 
should be sent in the same mail. 
Live specimens should never be sent without prior correspondence with 
the curator. 
Specimens preserved in formalin or alcohol can be shipped in glass jars, 
well packed in a cardboard carton or wooden crate lined with excelsior or 
newspaper. However, a better method is to wrap each collection, with its 
label, in several layers of cheesecloth or absorbent cotton. The wrapped 
specimens should then be placed in a plastic bag, and formalin (or alcohol) 
poured over them. The excess preservative should be drained off and the 
opening of the bag knotted or securely tied with string or rubber bands. The 
bag(s) may then be placed in a cardboard carton, lined as stated above. The 
latter method has the advantage of reduced weight. 
All herpetological collections should be addressed as follows: 
Curator of Herpetology, 
National Museum of Canada, 
Ottawa, Ontario. 
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR IDENTIFICATION AND STUDY 
OF CANADIAN HERPTILES 
Canada 
Logier, E. B. S., and G. C. Toner. 1961. Check list of the amphibians and reptiles of 
Canada and Alaska. Roy. Ont. Mus., Life Sciences Div. Contrib. 53. 
Bleakney, J. Sherman. 1958. A zoogeographical study of the amphibians and reptiles of 
eastern Canada. Nat. Mus. Canada. Bull. 155. 
Logier, E. B. S. 1939. The reptiles of Ontario. Royal Ontario Mus. of Zool. Handbook 
No. 4. 
Logier, E. B. S. 1952. The frogs, toads and salamanders of eastern Ontario. Clarke, 
Irwin & Co., Ltd. 
Logier, E. B. S. 1958. The snakes of Ontario. University of Toronto Press. 
Carl, G. Clifford. 1959. The Amphibians of British Columbia. 3rd Ed. B.C. Prov. 
Mus. Handbook No. 2. 
Carl, G. Clifford. 1960. The reptiles of British Columbia. B.C. Prov. Mus. Handbook 
No. 3. 
