148 PREPARING SPECIMENS 



ARTICLE X. 



Directions for preparing specimens of Natural History. 

 Issued by the Maryland Academy of Science and Literature. 

 QUADRUPEDS. 



In preparing quadrupeds the object in view is to preserve 

 the skin entire, with the other parts that characterize the 

 species — such as the head with the jaws and teeth — the legs 

 with the hoofs and claws. 



For this purpose an incision should be made along the 

 middle of the belly, commencing a little below the space 

 between the fore legs and ending at three-fourths the distance 

 between that and the root of the tail. The skin is then 

 dissected up on each side as far as the legs, which must be 

 disjointed from the body. The neck must be drawn out and 

 cut off close to the skull, over which the skin must be stripped. 

 All the soft parts are then to be removed from the skull, both 

 externally and internally, such as the muscles of the jaw — 

 the eyes — the tongue and the brain. The legs are to be 

 drawn out as far as possible and cleaned in a similar manner: 

 each as well as the skull being again returned into the skin, 

 to insure the preservation of which every portion of flesh or 

 fat must be entirely removed from it. The skin must then 

 be well rubbed in every part with the white oxide of arsenic, 

 a portion of which should also be thrown into the cavities of 

 the skull and the sockets of the eyes. If the arsenic cannot 

 be procured, corrosive sublimate in solution (3 oz. to a gallon 

 of spirit) may be substituted. Small animals may be pre- 

 served in spirits of wine. 



For transportation, the skin, if practicable should be lined 

 with thick paper — the body folded flat — the legs turned inwards 

 across the body — and the whole rolled up, commencing at 

 the head. If the animal be not larger than a cat, it would be 

 far preferable to merely lay the legs across, and pack the skins 

 one upon the other, as this would tend to prevent any distor- 

 tion, which should in all cases be carefully avoided. When 

 the far is very thick or many skins are packed together, the 

 arsenic in the skin is not always a safeguard against insects, 



