?ept., 1914 during the open season is that it provides safe breeding grounds for many ducks. Much of the land owned by gun clubs would now be reclaimed and under cultivation had it not been appropriated for private game preserves. It is probable that most of our home birds are reared on the same grounds where they are later shot. This being true, it is incumbent upon the sportsmen of the state and others who shoot to see that excessive hunting does not reduce the supply of native ducks to the danger point. The necessary stock of breed- ing birds is even. more important than available breeding grounds. The continued reclamation of marsh lands is undoubtedly reducing the available nesting grounds. Nor is there hope that the swamping of land for pasturing cattle, or the forming of reservoirs for the storage of water will keep pace with the destruction of breeding grounds. Shooting during the open season is also yet too severe to allow of maintaining the proper breeding stock of native birds, and only a smaller bag limit will remedy this adverse feature. It is, therefore, imperative that steps be taken to not only provide suitable nesting grounds to take the place of those used up for agricultural purposes but also to cut down the annual toll enough so that we may maintain our na- tive duck supply at a maximum productivity. Berkeley, California, July St, ?9?4. A METHOD OF CLEANING SKULLS AND DISARTICULATED SKELETONS By F. HARVEY HOLDEN (Contribution from the University of California Museum of Vertebrate Zoology) LTHOUGH skins of birds and mammals have been preserved by museums and private collectors for many years, the saving of complete skeletons has, to a large extent, been neglected. Anyone engaged in intensive scientific research will realize that it is almost impossible to find representative skeletons in even the larger museums, while the private collector seldom if ever saves this part of his specimens which might prove invaluable if made avail- able for study. Indeed, comprehensive osteological research on recent forms is, except in rare instances, impossible. It requires no argument to show that this is a deplorable condition. The vertebrate paleontologist is, of necessity, an osteologist; yet his work is cur- tailed at every point because of the lack of descriptions of Recent material or
access to such material itself. In taxonomic studies, also, many questions are
unsettled upon which the study of the skeleton would throw important light. One of the chief reasons for the lack of complete collections of skeletons of existing animals,--as complete as such collections might reasonably be ex- pected to be,---is that it has been found both unpleasant and laborious to pre- pare the bones in shape for comparison or study. Either maceration has been employed, or the bones have been boiled in a solution of lye; the former re- quires several months for completion, while the latter process is injurious to the bones, and to the hands of the operator. It is hoped that once the greater part of the unpleasantness and labor has been eliminated, the study of oste- ology will take the place it should among other branches of zoology.
