4thly, An indication of the objects which are most particularly desired.

ANIMAL KINGDOM.

THE study of zoology in the Museum of Natural History, does not limit itself to the observation of the forms of animals and the description of their organs; it also embraces the examination of their habits, their development, their sagacity; and seeks if they can be of any utility. Formerly, we could only inform ourselves on these essential points by the relations of travellers. The establishments formed at a great expense by princes and rich amateurs, for assembling and taking care of rare animals, were rather objects of luxury or curiosity than of study. But, since a menagerie has been added to the Museum at Paris, a new career of observations has been opened to naturalists. We can there follow animals in all their stages, and compare their manner of life with the organization which anatomy discloses after their death; we require positive knowledge on the important phenomena of copulation, gestation, and birth; we learn to distinguish the varieties which proceed from age, from those which are produced by climate, nourishment, or mixture of races, and to determine with certainty the differences which really exist between the species. If these animals are of

ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS

FOR

TRAVELLERS.

THE preceding treatise having been written for the use of collectors, superintendants of museums, and artists, as well as travellers, I add the Instructions drawn up by the Professors of the Jardin du Roi, at Paris, expressly for the use of the latter, to whom they are gratuitously presented. I would request this class of readers to comprehend such parts of the previous treatise of M. Dufresne as are given under the following titles:

1st, The manner of collecting and preparing objects of natural history.

2dly, The method of packing and enabling them to arrive at their place of destination in the best state possible.

3dly, The nature of the notes which ought to

4thly, An indication of the objects which are most particularly desired.

ANIMAL KINGDOM.

THE study of zoology in the Museum of Natural History, does not limit itself to the observation of the forms of animals and the description of their organs; it also embraces the examination of their habits, their development, their sagacity; and seeks if they can be of any utility. Formerly, we could only inform ourselves on these essential points by the relations of travellers. The establishments formed at a great expense by princes and rich amateurs, for assembling and taking care of rare animals, were rather objects of luxury or curiosity than of study. But, since a menagerie has been added to the Museum at Paris, a new career of observations has been opened to naturalists. We can there follow animals in all their stages, and compare their manner of life with the organization which anatomy discloses after their death; we require positive knowledge on the important phenomena of copulation, gestation, and birth; we learn to distinguish the varieties which proceed from age, from those which are produced by climate, nourishment, or mixture of races, and to determine with certainty the differences which really exist between the species. If these animals are of

The Mammalia, too large to be put into spirits, should be skinned, and care taken to leave the feet and head (from which the brains must have been removed); or, if that be not possible, we must at least send the jaws. We shall hereafter speak of the methods to be used and the precautions to be taken for preserving skins, and for animals which are put into spirits.

When we can add the skeleton to the skin, it would be a great service to science; this would be a very easy operation for the surgeons of ships, who might feel sufficient interest in zoology.

It is not necessary to mount the skeletons. After having boiled the bones, taken the flesh off, and dried them, we put all those belonging to the same animal in a bag, filling it up with moss, seaweed, shreds of paper, or any other soft and dry substance, that they may not bruise each other. We envelope those in paper, which are very fragile, and take great care not to lose any.

Those who procure us birds, must take care to proportion the shot to their size, not to injure the skins. When the bird falls, they must wipe the blood away as much as possible, and put a little cotton in the beak, that the blood may not run from it and injure the feathers, particularly those of the head. After the bird is cold, and the blood is coagulated, they must take it by the claws and the

quadrupeds or birds in their infancy, with whose retreats or nests they may be acquainted.

The younger the animals are, the easier it is to accustom them to live in their cages. They will at first require particular care, and must always be nourished some weeks on shore, before they are embarked; we cannot take too much pains to tame them. An animal which is not frightened at the sight of those who attend him, is always better, and more able to resist the fatigues of a seavoyage, than when he remains in a wild state; and there is scarcely any animal which we cannot soften by good treatment. An excess of nourishment when animals are shut up and not able to take exercise, is very injurious to them. The surest method of preserving them, is to give them strictly what is necessary. After the proportionate nourishment, the greatest requisite is cleanliness. We may always find some person on board the vessel, who will attend to them for a slight recompence. It is also very necessary to take precautions that these animals may not be worried and irritated by passengers.

We must content ourselves by bringing the skin, head, and feet of the large animals we have killed in too distant a place to transport them entire.

The Mammalia, sufficiently small to be enclosed in a bottle or barrel, ought to be put into spirituous liquor.