My old method of keeping alcoholic specimens, which I abandoned for the method outlined above, was fairly serviceable, inexpensive, and warrants description.
I had special folding boxes constructed resembling in exterior appearance a large insect box. The bottom of the box was solid and was made by gluing together two 1½-inch planks.
Holes extending nearly through the lower plank and of various sizes to accommodate vials of different diameters were bored as closely together as the wood justified without splitting or breaking.
The holes were numbered consecutively and the vials when placed in them were numbered to correspond; the box also had its number, and in the notes the vial was referred to by number of box and vial thus, 3⁄73 (box 3, vial 73). The vial should project one-half to 1 inch above the hole, and should be loose enough to provide for the swelling of the wood in moist weather.
To protect the vials a cover having a depth of about 1½ inch was hinged to the back and secured in front by hook-and-eye fastenings.
This method of storing vials is satisfactory enough for private collections, but for larger public collections is not so suitable.
Fig. 113.—The Marx tray for alcoholic specimens (original.)
