17 
selves deep in the mud or sand, or under stones, timber, &c. 
This should be recollected in collecting. Land shells are gene¬ 
rally found in woods and shady places, and make their ap¬ 
pearance abroad most numerously just after a shower of rain. 
Bivalves (oysters, muscles, &c.) can be easily made to open 
their valves by pouring upon them hot water. When opened 
in this manner a thin sharp knife is introduced to separate the 
muscle that closes the valves, and then no further difficulty 
presents itself to the removal of the animal. The connexion 
of the valves at the hinge joint should be preserved if possible. 
If the shell be not clean it should be made so before opening 
it. If it is likely to be some time before the collector can send 
the shell to its destination, a little sweet or linseed oil should 
be rubbed upon it. 
Univalves (snails, &c.) should be boiled some minutes in 
water to harden the animal, when it can be withdrawn by a 
hook. Care should be taken to withdraw, if possible, the 
whole animal. Attached to many univalve animals is a small, 
flat, and somewhat circular shell, called the operculum, which 
just closes the mouth of the principal shell; this should always 
be removed from the animal and preserved with the shell 
Multivalves may be generally treated as univalves. 
Marine shells should be deposited an hour or two in fresh 
water before they are packed up. 
Be careful to label every specimen, with the locality, and 
time at which taken, &c. If there be any thing peculiar in the 
temperature or otherwise of the water, it should also be noted. 
Crustacea , or lobsters, crabs, &c. The flesh is extracted 
from the large claws of crabs and lobsters, by making a small 
opening in the shell. That in the body of the crab is easily 
removed on separating the two shells. To get at that in the 
body of the lobster, it is necessary to separate the body from 
the lower parts, and after the flesh is removed to glue or 
cement them together again. Preservative powders of some 
kind, or a solution of corrosive of sublimate, should be applied 
to the internal surfaces. In drying these shells be careful not 
to expose them to too great heat, as they have a strong tendency 
to become red. 
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