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~ Operation of preserving.
~
‘HOW TO STUFF BIRDS AND ANIMALS. 45
by rubbing it with a small brush. It may then be varnished:
again; when dry, it will ever afterwards continue quite solid.
* What is above recommended will apply to almost all fishes.
. ‘LOBSTERS, CRABS, ETC.
In this class are included crabs, lobsters, and their conge-
ners. These animals are all protected by a coriaceous cover-..
ing, or shtll, which is easily preserved, althongh there ig
.. considerable difficulty in preserving the colors of some spe-.
cies. a - a : _
The flesh. must be extracted from the large claws of Job- —-
sters and crabs by breaking the smallest possible piece from |
- their points and introducing a small, crooked wire; in the
smaller claws the flesh must be allowed to dry, and to facili-
tate this extremely small perforations should be made in op-
posite sides of the shell by means of a sharp, triangular awl,
so as to allow the air to pass through it.
Tn lobsters the branchie and all the. intestines must be cut ©
away; the latter is effected by separating the body from the
lower parts, and then extracting the internal parts with any
sharp instrument; it should then be dried and cemented to-
gether, after being well anointed with the preservative. In
crabs, the body, with all the limbs attached, is pulled separate
from the back shell and the whole fleshy matter carefully
picked out and preserving powder aad the solution of corro-
sive sublimate applied to the different internal parts. In
drying lobsters, crabs, ete., they should be exposed to a free
current of air, but not to the sun’s rays, as it reddens the _
~ shells of crustaceous animals. . SO
It need hardly be mentioned, that before applying the pre-
' ervatives, the shells should be well washed with cold water.
The Iermit-Crab always takes possession of the shell of
some turbinated Univalve as its domicile. These are easily -
preserved by pulling out the animal after it is dead. An in-
cision is made in the soft tail of the animal, and the contents —
allowed to run off; it is then filled with cotton and imbued ~
with the preservative; some cement is then put on the tail
and the animal returned to its shell, which completes the
In sending home crustaceous animals, the Jarger species
Should be emptied of their fleshy matter, which, however, is _
_ hot necessary with the smaller species; they should be pack-
ed in middling-sized cases, and each Wrapped in separate ©
papers, with a thick bed of cotton or flax between each. In
Lobsters, and the species which are allied to them, great care
must be. exercised in preserving the tentacula’or feelers |
Which emanate from their heads, as these become very brittle
afterthey are dried. In proceeding to set up specimens
o