236 
BLUEFIELDS. 
full of water, in which are thrown the land shells 
collected in the morning. The animals in the dry 
season withdraw themselves into the recesses of their 
shells, covered either with their operculum, or, — if 
this be wanting, as is the case with the numerous 
tribe of Snails, — with an epiphragma of hardened 
mucus that answers the same purpose. They are 
thus difficult to extract ; but a few hours^ immersion 
in cold water stimulates them to action, and they 
crawl about freely. A boy sits at this table with 
another vessel containing boiling water; into this 
have been put the shells collected on the previous 
day, after having been all night in the cold water. 
The hot water kills them immediately, and the lad 
takes out each in succession, extracts the animal with 
a needle of suitable size, and separates the operculum 
if there be one. He then takes a soft tooth-brush, 
and well cleanses the shell from earth, mucus, and all 
other defilements, rinses it in a basin of clear water, 
and lays it on a cloth to drain, with its operculum in 
it. When thoroughly dry, each shell is wrapped in 
soft paper separately, (the operculum having been 
confined in its cavity by a bit of cotton wool,) and 
carefully packed with others in boxes. 
In one corner of the floor a third youth is engaged 
in laying out the botanical specimens brought in, or 
in shifting the papers of those already drying. Aboard 
three feet square, made double to prevent warping, lies 
on the floor ; and sheets of coarse brown paper of the 
largest size are spread open, on it, one over the other, 
each with a plant (or more than one if small) between 
it and the next. The whole series is then covered with 
