_Vials, Stoppers and Holders._--The vials in use to preserve such specimens as must be left in alcohol or other liquids are straight glass tubes of varying diameters and lengths, with round bottom and smooth even mouth. The stoppers in use are of rubber, which, when tightly put into the vial, the air being nearly all expelled, keep the contents of the vial intact and safe for years. Various forms of bottles are used in museums for the preservation of minute alcoholic material. I have tried the flattened and the square and have studied various other forms of these vials; but I am satisfied that those just described, which are in use by Dr. Hagen in the Cambridge Museum, are, all things considered, the most convenient and economical. A more difficult problem to solve was a convenient and satisfactory method of holding these vials and of fastening them into drawers or cases held at all angles, from perpendicular to horizontal. Most alcoholic collections are simply kept standing, either in tubes with broad bases or in tubes held in wooden or other receptacles; but for a biologic collection of insects something that could be used in connection with the pinned specimens and that could be easily removed, as above set forth, was desirable. After trying many different contrivances I finally prepared a block, with Mr. Hawley's assistance, which answers every purpose of simplicity, neatness, security, and convenience. It is, so far as I know, unique, and will be of advantage for the same purpose to other museums. It has been in use now for the past six years, and has been of great help and satisfaction in the arrangement and preservation of the alcoholic specimens, surpassing all other methods for ease of handling and classifying. The blocks are oblong, one-fourth of an inch thick, the ends (_c c_, Fig. 112) beveled, the sides either beveled or straight, the latter preferable. They vary in length and breadth according to the different sizes of the vials, and are painted white. Upon the upper side of these blocks are fastened two curved clamps of music wire (_b b_), forming about two-thirds of a complete circle. The fastening to the block is simple and secure. A bit of the wire of proper length is first doubled and then by a special contrivance the two ends are bent around a mandrel so as to form an insertion point or loop. A brad awl is used to make a slot in the block, into which this loop is forced (_e_, Fig. 112, 5), a drop of warm water being first put into the slot to soften the wood, which swells and closes so firmly around the wire that considerable force is required to pull it out. Four pointed wire nails (_d d d d_), set into the bottom so as to project about one-fourth inch, serve to hold the block to the cork bottom of the case or drawer in which it is to be placed. The method of use is simple and readily seen from the accompanying figures, which represent the block from all sides.