Vertebrates and Invertebrates, both Large and Small, Dry and in Spirits, and on a Large Scale.
| 1 Agassiz tank (copper), in wooden box, for alcoholics. | |
| 1 chest of black walnut, iron-bound, to contain all the articles enumerated below: | |
| 1 Maynard rifle, two barrels, calibre 40, | 40 pounds shot, assorted sizes. |
| and 45-85. | 10 pounds Maynard bullets. |
| 1 double-barrelled breech-loading smooth-bore 1,000 Berdan primers. | |
| gun, No. 10, in case ($30). | 12 pounds Orange ducking powder. |
| 1 Maynard shot-gun, No. 16. | 30 pounds arsenical soap. |
| 1 Smith & Wesson revolver, cal. 32. | 15 pounds dry arsenic. |
| 1 cartridge-belt and cartridge-bag. | 1 dozen large skinning-knives. |
| 1 dozen small skinning-knives. | 2 pairs scissors. |
| 6 scalpels. | 1 brain hook. |
| 2 claw hatchets. | 1 pair long forceps. |
| 1 saw. | 1 pair short forceps. |
| 1 large skin scraper. | 1 pair cutting-pliers. |
| 1 geological hammer. | 1 pair flat pliers. |
| 1 bull's-eye lantern. | 2 sets skeleton-scrapers. |
| 1 A No. 1 field-glass. | 1 small skin scraper. |
| 1 compass. | 1 flat file. |
| 2 brushes for arsenical soap. | 2 three-cornered files. |
| 1 blow-pipe and set of egg-drills. | 1 cold chisel. |
| 1 hydrometer and test-glass. | 2 awls. |
| 1 thermometer. | 1 4-inch saw (for turtles). |
| 2 pairs hunting-shoes. | 1 tape measure. |
| 2 rubber blankets. | 1 2-foot rule. |
| 1 double woollen blanket. | 1 ivory thimble. |
| 1 Ashanti hammock. | 1 oil-stone. |
| 3,000 labels, three sizes. | 1 spool thread. |
| 1 tool-box, size 7 × 13 × 3 inches, to contain the following: 2 dozen labels. | |
| 4 skinning-knives. | 3 papers glover's needles. |
With this outfit I collected, in two years, more than $15,000 worth of salable skins, rough skeletons and skulls of mammals, many of which were very large; birds, reptiles, and fishes, especially the large and important species; also fishes and fish skins in alcohol and brine; crustaceans, shells, star-fishes, corals, and a few insects. In not a single case did I ever fail to collect a desired specimen through lack of implements and preservatives with which to care for it, and only three or four specimens spoiled on my hands in course of preservation. One of these was an orang skin, the last one I took, which spoiled because I had to pack it up and travel with it without giving it even one day's drying; and the others were skins which spoiled while I was on my back with jungle fever.
The outfit listed above is of such a nature that for a trip across Africa, South America, or even a much shorter distance on foot or horseback, away from rivers and wagon-roads, it would be difficult to take the whole of it. But then, on some expeditions, for example, such as are made through Darkest Africa, the travellers are generally glad to get through with their lives, to say nothing of more cumbersome luggage, and very little collecting is done. In nine cases out of ten, however, it is advisable to take along a good outfit, even though there be three or four boxes of it, for, except in such journeys as those mentioned above, there will always be a way to get it along. It will cost a few dollars for freight, and some trouble in management; but if you are a good collector, and mean business, you will not mind that in the least. Where there's a will there's locomotion; and to collect well, or even at all, one must have something to collect with. It is an expensive and exceedingly laborious business at best, so don't go expecting to have your "baggage checked through to destination, free of charge."
But there are a great many of my readers who, while they may never want to go off into a howling wilderness, might greatly enjoy collecting on such trips as they do take. Then, again, there are sportsmen and travellers who will willingly carry into good game districts a book of instructions, and enough tools to enable them successfully to remove and preserve the skins of valuable trophies of the chase, and other specimens which should be kept on account of their scientific value or their beauty. To meet the requirements of both the amateur and the sportsman I recommend:
The Traveller's Handy Outfit,
For a Collector of Mammals, Heads, Trophies, etc., and also Birds.
Firearms, as you please.
A tool-box of 1/4 inch ash, size 7 × 13 × 3 inches, containing the following:
| 2 large skinning-knives (see Fig. 1). | 1 tape measure. |
| 2 cartilage knives (see Fig. 1). | 1 brain hook. |
| 1 pair scissors. | 1 pair 9-inch forceps. |
| 1 small oil-stone. | 1 pair short forceps. |
| 1 spool thread. | And if eggs are to be collected, then must |
| 1 package needles. | be added: |
| 1 package labels. | 1 blow-pipe. |
| 1 2-foot rule. | 1 set of egg-drills. |