30 TAXIDERMY AND ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING. 



Here are the two methods : 



A. THE SALT- AND- ALUM BATH. This is the finest solution ever 

 discovered for the preservation of the skins of quadrupeds that 

 are destined to be mounted. It is inexpensive, simple, and 

 easy to make ; its action is perfect ; its strength can be regu- 

 lated to suit any kind of a skin ; it never gets stale ; and if 

 properly handled will preserve a skin for a hundred years in 

 the same pliable and elastic condition as when it leaves the ani- 

 mal's back. In only two or three instances have I ever known 

 it to change the color of the hair in the least. Every taxider- 

 mist knows that it is far easier to mount a fresh specimen in 

 line style than an old, dry skin which has lost all its elasticity. 

 The work on a soft skin (i.e., one which has never been dried) 

 can be done more easily, more quickly, and vastly better. With 

 a dry skin you can make only w r hat it will let you ; but with 

 a wet skin you can make just as fine a mount as your skill is 

 capable of producing. And with the latter it makes no dif- 

 ference whether the skin came off the animal last week or ten 

 years ago, except in the case of very young animals. Of these 

 the bath softens the leg bones. For years it has been my cus- 

 tom to preserve r.ll skins that I expect to mount (except the 

 young of the smaller species) in this salt-and-alum bath, and it 

 is almost superfluous to add that I strongly advise all others to 

 do the same. In many ways it is a great economy to do so. 



Directions for Making It. For every gallon of water put in 

 three-quarters of a pound of alum (one pint) and a pound and 

 three-quarters of salt (about one quart), and heat the liquid to 

 the boiling-point, stirring occasionally, so that the salt and 

 alum will dissolve. Then pour it into a wooden, earthen, or 

 glass vessel, or a tank lined with lead (for zinc or galvanized 

 iron will not answer), and when it is cool, or even milk warm, it 

 is ready for use. Test it with your salometer (which you can 

 procure for fifty cents of Bahmann & Hoehn, 21 Park Place, New 

 York), and see that it stands at 15. This is the normal strength. 

 If stronger than that, e.g., 16 or 17, the skin will be hardened 

 too much. It can go as low as 13 with safety, but that is the 

 limit. At 12 skins are liable to lose their hair. 



Directions for t/se. If the hair is tight on the skin every- 

 where, simply immerse it in the bath, leg bones and all, giving 



