73 
On preserving Specimens of Fish , <Sfc . 
Quadrupeds, birds, reptiles, and fish may be preserved in 
any climate if they be plunged into a solution of common salt 
immediately after they are dead. The brine will be improved 
if two parts of alum and one of nitre be added to every three 
parts of common salt used in making a saturated solution. 
Small openings should be made in the belly of the specimen to 
admit the liquor to the intestines; and after the carcases have 
lain about three weeks in the brine, they should be packed, in 
a cask with cotton, tow, or oakum, to prevent their receiving 
injury by shaking; then a few handfuls of salt being sprinkled 
among them, the" cask should be headed up and filled by the 
bung-hole with fresh brine. It will be safer not to put up 
tender fish along with heavier specimens lest they should be 
crushed. When the heads alone can be conveniently sent, 
ns of Sharks, Porpoises, or of very large quadrupeds, they 
'will still be valuable to the Museum. Very small fish 
°r soft marine animals are safest in bottles filled with 
proof spirit, a little cotton being introduced between the spe¬ 
cimens. Should recourse be had to salt taken from a beef 
cask for making the brine, the impurities ought to be first 
hashed away by laying the salt on a sieve, and pouring a 
boiling solution of salt upon it. And the brine must be changed 
*f it becomes much soiled or offensive during the time the 
specimen^ are soaking in it. 
All kinds of foreign quadrupeds, particularly those of 
Australia, and more especially the Wombat, Dogheaded Kan¬ 
garoo, or Hyaena of Tasmania (both sexes), Porpoises, 
particularly of the Southern Seas, Dugongs, and heads of 
young Whales, the wingless bird, or Apteryx of New Zealand, 
and fish of every kind are objects of interest. Various kinds 
of Elephant Fish exist in the Pacific, and both sexes, but 
particularly the females, are much w r anted for the Museum; 
(the male is distinguished by a little rough appendage on the 
head, and two long cartilaginous bodies on the belly.) Shells 
and their inhabitants may also be preserved in strong brine. 
Officers who have not convenience for putting up specimens in 
casks may render service to the Museum by collecting for it 
skulls of quadrupeds, or the heads of fish simply dried in the 
sun, and wetted with oil of turpentine to prevent flies from 
depositing their eggs in them. 
The casks should be addressed to Sir William Burnett, 
Physician-General of the Navy 5 or to Captain Beaufort, 
Hydrographer, labelled — u Specimens of Natural History for 
the Museum at Haslar Hospitalalong with a letter to either 
of those gentlemen, under cover to the Secretary of the Ad¬ 
miralty. 
Note . — The names of the donors are conspicuously affixed to 
specimens presented,to the Museum. 
