placed in the jars of spirits. As large a collection as possible should be made of the smaller Fishes and Tortoises of lakes and rivers. _Mammals and Birds._[13]—An ordinary geographical expedition will hardly have the means at its disposal for bringing home many specimens of the larger animals, but many species in regions visited only by adventurous explorers are still desiderata in the large museums of Europe; and additional specimens of all genera of which there are numerous closely allied species (_e.g._, Rodents, Antelope, Deer, etc.), and of all the small nocturnal mammals would be welcome to zoologists. If only portions can be obtained, skulls with horns attached are to be preferred. The smaller birds shot on an excursion should be carried to camp in the game bag, folded in paper, the mouth, anus and any wounds being first plugged with cotton-wool. In a hot climate when the birds have to be carried for some distance before they are skinned, a plug of cotton-wool dipped in a weak solution of formaline or in spirits should be pushed down the gullet into the stomach, before the mouth is plugged with dry cotton-wool. This precaution will insure specimens remaining fresh for many hours. Small dull-coloured birds are most likely to be new or interesting. Immediately after killing a small mammal or bird, make a note of the colour of its eyes and soft parts, and, if time admits, of the dimensions of its trunk and limbs. Full directions for skinning will be found in the British Museum ‘Handbook,’ pp. 15-29. It should however be mentioned that in large-headed Parrots, Woodpeckers, Ducks, and some other birds, in which the skin of the head cannot be turned back, an incision has to be made in the nape, through which the skull can be pushed and cleansed, the incision being afterwards closed by two or three stitches. In finishing the skin of a bird the feet should be placed side by side, with the claws folded and fastened together by means of a pin run transversely through the soles. The protruding ends of the pin can afterwards be cut off close to the feet. This is Mr. W. Foster’s plan, and is by far the best and neatest method. When the skin is dry, it should be laid on its back in one of the trays fitted into the zinc-lined collecting boxes, and secured by means of a couple of stout pins passed through the head at the base of the lower mandible and through the root of the tail. By dovetailing the specimens into one another, they can thus be packed with the least loss of space, and need not again be moved. They require no wrapping or paper, and are much more easily looked over to see that no insects have attacked them.