19 
animals, called insect pins, of which the collector should also, 
if possible, have a supply, for such as it would not be proper to 
immerse in spirits. If these pins cannot be had, the ordinary 
dressing pin must be substituted, and for those insects that are 
very small the finest needle may be used. For transportation, 
these pins or needles should be firmly inserted or stuck into the 
bottom of a close segar or other box. The interior of the box 
should be anointed with the arsenical soap, or strongly im¬ 
pregnated with spirits of turpentine, whilst the crevices and 
cracks should be completely stopped by pasting over them 
paper, or by other means. Those insects that do not die at 
once by the insertion of the pin should be destroyed by holding 
under them a burning sulphur match, or by running a red-hot 
pin into their bodies. It is not cruelty to put a speedy termi¬ 
nation to their torture. 
Polypi , or corals, madrepores, &c., have their solid parts 
easily preserved. It is only necessary to immerse them a few 
hours in fresh water and then dry them thoroughly. They are 
then ready for packing. 
VEGETBLE KINGDOM. 
Botany .—Specimens of plants, shrubs, trees, &c., should al¬ 
ways be obtained. The flower is the part more especially to 
be selected, but this should always be accompanied by more 
or less of the leaves, and on the same stem or twig, if possible. 
In herbs, it is generally necessary, if it be not too large, to col¬ 
lect the whole plant, root and all. 
The collector must have with him a quire or more of brown 
or other absorbing paper ; old newspapers answer very 
well. Immediately on collecting a plant and cleansing the 
root, if that part be taken, it must be laid carefully between 
the folds of the paper, with the leaves and flowers well ex¬ 
tended. Too many specimens must not be collected together 
in one bundle of paper. As soon as the collector arrives at 
home, he should transfer the specimens to fresh paper, and a 
much larger quantity, say 12 or 15 sheets, should be interposed 
between the specimens. Stems, or other parts that are very 
thick, should be split, whilst the bulbs of bulbous plants should 
