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A little cord with knots should be attached to objects thus preserved and tothose which are in bones and very dry. These knots form two series separatedby an interval; the first series marks the 10 th , the second, the units; by thismeans any number can be specified. We even know by experience that the sameof an object written with ink on a piece of parchment can be attached with athread; alcohol does not alter it.

We have now to speak of the means of packing the objects of zoology, so thatthey may arrive in France in a better state of preservation.

Objects sent are either parts of animals, or entire animals preserved inalchool

The skins of animals and birds may be attacked by Dermestes and other ana-logous insects, in warm countries especially, unless great care is taken toprevent it.

The surest means is to use the arsenic preservative Known by the name ofBecoeur’s soap.

This is the preservative employed in the museum and its success is certain. Itis well to use it especially for rare and precious specimens, about whose preser-vation there is any cause of anxiety. It is wise to plaster the skins of birdswith it, especially the claws and bill.

It is well, likewise, to plaster the naked parts of quadrupeds, such as the faceand hands of apes.

Each bird or quadruped of small or middling size, thus prepared, and in the in-side of which a little cotton is put, not to give it a form, but that the differentparts of the skin need not touch, should be placed in a sack or enveloped inpaper well closed, and these sacks should be ranged in a box, which should bewell pointed, so that not only dampness but even air may be excluded

The skins of large animals, too thick to be preserved by means of arsenicalsoap, should be rubbed whitli salt. The skin of the animal should be stretched,covered carefully with salt within and without, and when, after several days itis sufficiently saturated, it should be folded with the epiderm inside, and put in abox, or simply wrapped in cloth, straw or any other dry substance, and keept asmuch as possible beyond the reach of dampness.

The means that" we have pointed out are simple, easy and require littletime.

W T e come now to the way of preserving animals in alcohol.

If they are quadrupeds, birds, reptiles or fish of considerable size, each speci-men should be wrapped in linen tied round the body with thread; if the animalsare very small like mice, small vipers, shell-fish or worms, the .linen should belarge; a certain number of these animals are placed upon it so that they do nottouch; then the linen is rolled upon it self, so as to make a doll sowed with thread,that it may not unwind; afterwards, place the bundles side by side in a cask.When the cask is full, so that the bundles are packed close, it should be filledwith brandy, rum or whiskey; generally some strong liquor; afterwards it shouldbe pitched with care, so that the liquor may not escape. This method has twoadvantages: 1° animals wrapped in linen cannot tear each other with their nailsor spines; 2° the linen having imbibed the alcohol, if the cask leakes, the ani-mal will not be entirely dry; and when the casks are opened, as they should beseveral times on a long voyage, there be an opportunity of filling them againwith alcohol.

The spirituous liquor be from 16 to 22° of the are ometer of Baume; stronger,it destroys the colors of animals; it is used at 22° only for mammifers, All spiri-tuous liquor are equally good. The color less are preferable.

Before wrapping vertebrated animals in cloth, an incision should be made inthe breast and abdomen, to let the liquor run in the inside of the body. The ope-ning should be very small, in the side, and not in the middle. If the mammifersare large, it is well to pour the alchool in the intestinal canal, cither by the mouthor anus.

It is well to renew the liquor, after the animal has remained in it some time:this precaution is absolutely necessary, when there is several animals in thecask; if it is neglected, they may corrupt-

It is well to arrange the animals so that they may not touch the bottom of thecask.