COLLECTING AND PRESERVING THE SKINS. 39 



5. Depth of flank (E-E). To a taxidermist, this is often a 

 very important guide in the construction of a manikin. There 

 is always a thin fold of skin at the point where the skin of the 

 hind leg- passes to the side of a large animal, as indicated by the 

 dotted line in the figure, at the lower end of the line E-E. 

 Erect a perpendicular at the upper end of the line E, and meas- 

 ure between the two points. 



G. Circumference of forearm (F-F). To be taken at the 

 point where the forearm has the greatest circumference. 



7. From head of humerus to head of femur. This is always 

 of extreme value in building a manikin. As the animal lies 

 upon its side, hold the foreleg the same as when you measured 

 the height at the shoulders. Then feel for the two high points 

 G-G, where the skin rests on the outer extremity of the arm 

 and thigh bones (not the pelvis), at shoulder and hip, and meas- 

 ure between the two points. 



8. Length of tail (H-H). Hold the tail down at an angle of 

 forty-five degrees with the axis of the bod} 7 , or the line A- A, and 

 measure from the angle A-H to the end <>///,< i\->'trl>rce of the tail. 

 If you measure to the end of the hair, let this be a supplemen- 

 tary measurement. 



These are the measurements which should always be taken on 

 a large animal. Of course, of certain subjects, there are many 

 other measurements that you will want, but your own needs will 

 tell you what they are. 



\\KIGHT. It is very desirable to ascertain the weight of an an- 

 imal whenever possible. A thousand times, at least, have I 

 been asked the weight of my big tiger (495 pounds), and that 

 number of times have I been glad that in spite of jungle fever, 

 I persevered with my 50-pound scales, and weighed the animal 

 piecemeal, after he had been skinned and cut up. With a par- 

 ticularly fine animal it is well worth the trouble it costs. 



SKINNING A LAEGE MA.M.MAL. Pdp the skin open by a clean, 

 straight cut from the throat along the neck, breast, middle of 

 the belly, and on to the root of the tail. We are now obliged to 

 slit the legs open along their entire length, so that the cuts will 

 be as much out of sight as possible when the animal is mounted. 

 In making these opening cuts, always insert the point of the 

 knife under the skin, edge uppermost, to avoid cutting the hair. 



