276 . TAXIDERMY AND ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING. 



backward and forward, and strain it a bit to see just where the 

 articulating- surfaces of the vertebral process are, so that you 

 can cut them. When your intelligence has made some headway 

 on the joint, then you may put forth a little main strength and 

 tear the vertebrae apart, but do not attempt this too soon. 



The next thing is to cut off the ribs, and the first step toward 

 this is to cut out the sternum, or breastbone. (See Plate XX.) 

 This so-called bone is really cartilage, soft enough in a fresh 

 skeleton to cut on the outside, and in thin places, like cheese- 

 rind. It must be cut out in one piece, the same as may be seen 

 in the figure of the mounted skeleton, and the dotted line A B 

 shows where the cartilaginous ribs of the sternum join the bony 

 ribs that form the main arch of the thorax. At the points 

 marked by the dotted line, cut the two apart. I have never 

 found it necessary to use a saw for this work in a perfectly fresh 

 skeleton, but in dry ones a saw is necessary. When you come 

 to the short, or " floating ribs," as they are called, it will be 

 found that their cartilages are only attached weakly to the carti- 

 lages of the previous ribs, or else are altogether free. These 

 must be cut from the ribs and preserved with great care. 



After the ribs have been cut free from the sternum, separate 

 them from the backbone, one by one, make them up into bun- 

 dles, and tie them up. The pelvis is to be separated from the 

 spinal column at the last lumbar vertebra ; and if necessary 

 the spinal column may be again dislocated about the middle. 



Formerly it was my practice to poison all rough skeletons 

 with a thin wash of arsenical soap, to make them dry without 

 smelling badly, and to keep off the myriads of insects that the 

 shreds of flesh would naturally attract. Now, however, in 

 obedience to the mandates of Mr. Lucas, I have eschewed the 

 use of arsenical soap for this purpose, and recommend the use 

 of dry arsenic instead, which does not retard the cleaning of 

 the bones. 



ROUGH SKELETONS OF BIRDS. As in the case of a small mam- 

 mal, first remove the skin from the body ; but if the identity of 

 the bird is in doubt, leave the large tail feathers and the pri- 

 maries in place, for future reference. In fact, it is a good plan 

 to always leave the primaries and spurious quills on the wing, 

 for then there will be no danger that some of the small bones 



