FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92  
93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   >>   >|  
or shrivelling of the integument. 3. The points 1 and 2 being so well balanced that the specimen is in a fit state--after many months--either to be treated as a specimen shown in fluid, or to be mounted by the process of taxidermy. 4. The comparative cheapness and facility of carriage of the preservative medium. In trying to obtain all these advantages there seem almost insuperable difficulties in the reconcilement of these diverse conditions. Dr. A. Guenther, F.R.S, the eminent, ichthyologist and Chief of the British Museum, recommends, in his new book, that pure or rectified spirits of wine (56 per cent. over-proof) be the only thing used for fishes, for permanent preservation in glass jars or tanks, and this even for ordinary fishes 3 ft. to 4 ft. in length, or even up to 6 ft. in length, if eel-like. "Proof" spirit (containing only 49 per cent. by weight of pure alcohol as against 84 per cent. contained in rectified spirit) is, says Dr. Guenther, the lowest strength which can be used. These will then stand as No. 19.--Rectified Spirits of Wine (56 per cent. over-proof), and No. 20.--Proof Spirits of Wine. If a spirituous solution is absolutely required, I would substitute for pure spirits of wine methylated spirit (alcohol containing a certain percentage of impure gum or undrinkable wood spirit) as being cheap and sufficiently good for some purposes. It will not, however, bear any diluting with water; it must stand, therefore, as No. 21.--Methylated Spirit (undiluted), or as No. 22.--Alcoholic Solution, No. 1. Methylated spirit, 1.5 pints. Burnt alum (pounded), 2 oz. Distilled water, 0.5 pint. Saltpetre, 4 oz. This, which is to be well shaken together, becomes milky at first, but will soon fine down, and may then be decanted. No. 23.--Alcoholic Solution, No. 2. Methylated spirit, 3 parts. Glycerine, 1 part. Distilled water, 1 part. Although turpentine will not preserve reptiles or fishes, yet, struck with the perfect manner with which I was enabled to preserve soft-bodied beetles for nearly a year in benzol or benzoline, I lately tried if this cheap and colourless liquid would be of service for other subjects, with the result that I have now some frogs (six or seven) in a glass jar containing benzoline which have been immersed for over three months, and hav
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92  
93   94   95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

spirit

 

fishes

 

Methylated

 

preserve

 

alcohol

 

Solution

 

Guenther

 

spirits

 
length
 

Distilled


rectified

 

Alcoholic

 

specimen

 

months

 

benzoline

 

Spirits

 

sufficiently

 
purposes
 

diluting

 

Spirit


undiluted
 

pounded

 

colourless

 

liquid

 

service

 

benzol

 

bodied

 

beetles

 

subjects

 

immersed


result

 

enabled

 

shaken

 
decanted
 

struck

 
perfect
 

manner

 

reptiles

 

turpentine

 

Glycerine


Although

 
Saltpetre
 
lowest
 
advantages
 

obtain

 

medium

 
insuperable
 

difficulties

 

eminent

 

ichthyologist