ON THE BEST MODE OF

COLLECTING, PRESERVING AND TRANSPORTING

OBJECTS OF

NATURAL HISTORY.

It is the actual state of our collections and of our Knowledge of Natural History of which we are about to speak. But as this memoir, though specially destined for our Museum and for our countrymen, may be consulted by foreign naturalists for the sake of our collections as well as for their own, we would invite the attention of collectors to any point that may seem defective or capable of improvement, and we invite all travellers to make known to us the results of their experience that we, and the whole learned world, may profit by them.

It is not simply a series of instructions which we make here, it is an appeal to all who interest themselves in the cause of science and of their country. We will point out to them the means of enriching this great national establishment, which, open to public curiosity and study, can only be rendered perfect by the aid of many hands. It cannot itself support travellers except upon a few limited points, and even there, such is the inexhaustible fecundity of nature, much remains to be done.

As for amateurs, who can give but few moments to the study of Natural History, who have not hitherto occupied themselves with it, but who have, notwithst anding the desire to render their sojourn in certain points little explored, profitable to our object, we have thought that instead of collecting a great number of objects, they would do well to limit themselves to such as are signalized as curious and indicated in the list of our desirata. They could thus economise time, and employ it more usefully, not only in collecting the objects which we recommend but also in bestowing upon them that care which would insure their preservation.

These instructions are devided naturally into three chapters, corresponding to the three kingdoms of nature; each part has been prepared by such of the professors as it especially concerns.

The instructions will make known:

1o The manner of collecting and preparing objects of Natural History.

2o The choice and form of the notes which should accompany them.

3o An indication of those which are more particulary wished for.

It remains for us before proceeding to the special details of this memoir, to give general instructions upon the packing of objects of Nat. His. and upon the modes proper to be employed to prevent any damage to them during their voyage.

As soon as the objects prepared as before directed, have been placed in case these cases must be closed in the best possible manner and covered with pitch or tar on their whole surface; so that neither air nor moisture can penetrate.

After this. they must be envelopped in oil cloth, and then put on board ship in such place as will be likely not to be disturbed till their arrival, and as far from the heat and vermin as possible.

Glass bottles should be packed in wooden boxes well filled with tow and seaweed; and arranged so that they will run no risk of breaking; objects which may be spoiled by liquids in the glass bottles, should they happen to break, should not be placed with them.

When a package has been sent, information should be given directly with the statement of the number and weight of the boxes, of the ship by which they are sent, the time of sailing, and the port to which they are bound. These statements should be made in time so that boxes may be sealed at the Custom House and not be opened until they arrive at Paris.

It is evident that if living animals or vegetables are sent, the time necessary for the voyage should be calculated and the speediest and safest conveyance chosen.

CHAPTER I.

MINERALOGY AND GEOLOGY.

Minerals are found either in regular and geometrical forms when they are called cristals, or in more or less irregular masses.

Among cristals there are some so situated that they can be separated without injury from the matter that envelopes them. Others compose salient groups; others are imbedded in rock.

Specimens of each of these three States should, if possible be procure; with regard to cristals enveloped in surrounding matter, particles of this matter should be detached with them (varying from 8 to 10 centimetres) so that the different minerals which accompany them may be observed.

Also portions of the masses composed of needles and fibres, or granulous or compact, having care to choose them fresh and free from those alterations that take place in these at the surface. The metallic mines should call the attention of travellers. They will observe if they are in parallel beds with the surrounding rocks or in clefts called veins which cross the bed. In detaching pieces from these mines care should be taken to leave around the principal metal portions of other metals which may be associated with them or stony substances which often accompany cristals.

It is to be desired for the progress of historic and technical mineralogy that pieces of stone should be selected which are most commonly used in the construction of public monuments and houses; and the most authentic samples should be procured of all the mineral substances employed in the useful and ornamental arts; such as sharpening stones, stones for ovens, stones to polish with and stones for potteries; having care to indicate the kinds of earth and stones which enter into the composition of each kind of pottery; whether minerals are indigenous or exotic, it must be particulary mentionned from whence they come.

If organic remains should be found in these earths, such as the bones of animals, shells, impressions of fish or vegetables, samples should be taken with care from these different bodies, leaving around them a portion of the earth or stone in which they are imbedded.

In case these earths should offer traces of volcanic origin, pieces will be taken of each substance ejected by the explosions, some of a stony nature, some as basalts, some as glass, some as obsidiennes, some as scaries, etc. For those which are prisms, care must be taken to remark the form of these prisms and the extent they occupy in the earth.

To each sample should be attached a ticket indicating the name of the country where they were found, the particular spot from which they were taken, the

distance and situation of some neighbouring known town from it, the nature and appearance of the country and its elevation above the sea.

Wherever mineral waters shall be found care will be taken to fill a bottle, to cork and cement it closely.

Since those systems have been abandoned which restrained the observation of facts and comparison of those observations; since guessing of the origin of things has been renounced for studying their actual state; geology has advanced like other correct sciences. This advance has not only extended our acquaintance on the formation of the globe, but has also produced useful results for the arts. Notwithstanding we are far from knowing the various countries of the earth as we know Europe.

It is easy for those who visit these distant countries, above all the tropics, to procure us important ideas, and to send us productions, the examination of which can alone enlighten and furnish us informations on the nature of the soil in those countries and the general arrangement of the rocks which constitute the outside of the globe.

On all coasts and islands where vessels stop, travellers can land and procure objects with little trouble, which having little value in themselves, become intructive and interesting by the simple annotations which accompany them. They can pick up on the borders of torrents pebbles which indicate the nature of the rochs from which they proceed. They will choose the largest and note their size, and also break some pieces, also the small pebbles, having care to choose those of different appearances.

Wherever a rock is seen to rise, should it be in the water or land, it should be observed if it is all of the same substance or homogeneous or composed, or formed of different beds. In the first case a fragment must be detached, in the second case, they will observe the relative position of the beds, their inclination and thickness; and take a sample of each of the beds, and put the same mark on all the pieces coming from the same mountain, and a number on each to indicate the order of their position or reciprocal situation. If the person who procures these samples could make a simple sketch, to show the form of the mountain, the thickness and inclination of its layers, he would render an essential service.

In case the rock is an isolated one, it is useful to examine and sketch on both sides to be more certain of the inclinations of the beds.

It would be well to gather some sand from the bottoms of rivers; above all those which wash metallic dusts; but this sand must be taken as far from the mouth of the river as possible.

In some countries are found isolated masses to which the people attribute a singular origin; pieces must be taken; perhaps they are aerolithes; other may be transported by the revolutions of the globe.

In gathering fragments of rocks, mines, volcanic products and organised fossil bodies, the most essential thing is to mark well their latitude, that is to say the nature of the earth where they are found and their relative position to the substances which encircle them.

Basalt beds merit a particular attention, both as regards themselves and the kind of earth which surrounds or covers them. It must be noticed if they are divided in irregular masses, tables or prisms, and what is their arrangement. It be must remarked if they contain the remains of organised bodies, and care must be taken to take samples in their different states, also of the matter on which the basalt rests. It must be certain above all that there is no intervention of scorified matter, or beds of an earthy appareance, to which the Germans give the name of Wakke, and which are proved to be of volcanic origin. The rocks named trachytes by M. Haŭy merit the same attention. They are distinguished above all by primitive porphyries, intermediate or secondary, by the absence of quartz and the presence of pyroxène or titanimmed iron.

Whatever may be the nature or age of the soil one sees, it is most importanto collect samples of rocks the most common and most abundant which constitute the bulk of the soil: the study of the varieties of subordinate beds and accidental matters of all kind, should be secondary. In general the appearance of the constitution of the locality must, be considered if one would proceed usfully

to choose the samples destined to represent them; the choice would be easy if one would establish a rule never to quit a declivity, a mountain, a country even, without having made the section (geologically). We should add that these sections should be the principal object in the labours of the geological traveller.

Too large samples must not be taken, samples of 10 to 8 centimètres, by 3 or 4 of thickness, are sufficient. Larger samples must not be taken unless they contain the remains of organic fossils, such as animal skeletons. To pack these samples, they must be covered with fine paper; above this paper they will put the ticket or note of bearing or latitude, then a second fine paper that will be surrounded with tow, and all will be enveloped in grey paper. These samples will then be put in a box, placing them upright and in successive beds, as close together as possible, and filling the interstices with cut paper or tow, in a way to form a mass that nothing can derange. No space must be left between the last bed and the cover. The box must be tarred to avoid humidity.

The merit of geological collections being principally in the knowledge of local circumstances in which each sample is taken, it is indispensable to join to these collections well-arranged catalogues. They will repeat the numbers of the samples and directions written on the labels; all details should be inserted which may give a complete idea of the strata which have been observed, and sketches and drawings taken on the spot should be placed either in the margin or the body of the books. It would be well to have duplicates of the catalogues. One of them pressed between two pieces of board well tied, should be placed on the top of one of the boxes, the other should be adressed directly to M. Vatte

mare.

CHAPTER II.

BOTANY.

The botanical riches of the museum are composed 1° Of living vegeta' les cultivated in the garden - 2o of the collection of dry plants or herbals, of the different parts of plants dried and in alchool, such at woods, fruits, etc. And of all the produits of the vegetable kingdom that are capable of preservation collection of fossil plants.

Living plants.

3o of the

To promote the progress of science, agriculture and horticulture, it is important to collect in a central garden, like that of Paris, the greatest number of living plants possible.

To attain this end, either living plants must be sent, or their seeds both of these ways are attended with difficulties, according to the nature of the plants, and the leugth of the voyage they have to endure.

We shall only treat the parcels sent from countries out of Europe that must endure a voyage of from one to four or five months, because packages which are on the road but 15 or 20 days, only require those ways of putting up employed in all the nurseries of Europe.

In the transportation of living plants, distinction should be made of the ligneous plants, young trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants, which are neither pulpy plants, tubercles or roots, from that of these last vegetables

The transportation of the roots, underground bulbs and tubercles, such as those of the lily tribe, irides, dioscarea, land archides, aroïdees, gesneria, of many of the Oxalis, Trospoculum etc., is easily effected by packing these parts carefully in dry moss, or very dry sand, with wich the box should be filled up; the parasitic orchides or epyphites, with green bulbs, can be sent in wooden boxes, pierced with little holes, and kept dry; all the old leaves should be taken off, as, in their decay, they cause dampness, and the roots wrapped in dry moss or cloth The same means may be used for the pulpy plants, such as the cactus: any dry flexible substance, not subject to dampnes, as hairwool etc. may be used to pack them. These pulpy plants. if large, should be separated from the others, so that they may not be tainted by their decay.

They should be packed wich great care, because their tissue, more watery than that of the tubercles and roots, may be crushed under their weight, often considerable.

For the transportation of living plants, neither pulpy or tuberculous, it is necessary to place them in glazed boxes, of a peculiar construction, first invented and used in England by M. N. Ward.

These boxes vary in form and size, but not to take up too much room on the decks of ships, where they should always remain; they should not exceed the following dimensions :

9 to 11 decimetres long,
5 wide,

7 to 40 high.

The bottom should not touch the deck, but must be raised some centimetres by the feet on the four corners, so that sea water may not damp the box.

The two smal sides of the oblong chest cut in the upper part in pointed shape, have two glassed frames, and form a two-sided roof.

The sides and bottom should be made of oak or hard wood from 25 to 30 millimetres thick, dry and joined with groves, so that there may be no fissure.

The glassed frames are divided by cross pieces from 4 to 5 centimetre wide, extending from the upper to the lower edge, from 7 to 8 centimètres apart. These grooved cross pieces receive the glasses which should be thick, covering one another like the tiles of a roof, and well cemented. One of the frames is fixed on one of the sides of the chest; the other is fixed on the other sides, and on the upper frame opposite, with screws well oiled to prevent rust. These boxes should be well puttied and painted.

Two strong iron handles should be fixed on each end of the box; and a solid grate made of iron wire, propped above the glasses by several iron rods, will prevend their fracture.

A bed of 4 or 5 centimetres of clayey earth moist enough to stick to the bottom, is first put in the box; then a layer of earth, mined if possible with vegetable decay of 15 or 20 centimetres; the plants are embedded in this earth either in pots or wicker baskets.

To prevent accidents on a long voyage and especially from the port to Paris, straw and rushes may be used, with wooden cross pieces nailed to the partitions of the chest.

A box of the size described contains from 15 to 25 or 50 plants according to their size.

Seeds, especially of the kinds that preserve with difficulty their germinating power, may be sown among these plants, such as those of the palms, laurels, oaks, several conifers, rosés, etc.

Plants put in these boxes should have good roots, and not taken directly from the country. In case they are, time should be given them to take root, before closing the box.

Before closing the box, care should be taken to water the earth well, but not too much.

It should then be hermetically sealed, and not opened during the voyage. It