142 



colour of the collection. Unless the stoppers of the bottles 

 fit very accurately, it is well to prevent weakening of the 

 spirit by sealing the stoppers with soft wax. 



If you wish to show the teeth or poison apparatus of a 

 specimen, its mouth must be kept open ^vith a gag before 

 putting it into spirit, as otherwise you will find it a matter 

 of no small difficulty to open the mouth after the muscles 

 have become rigidly fixed. 



I think that the best collection is that where there are 

 two specimens of each snake, one in spirit, the other 

 consisting of the skin only ; it is well to avail oneself of a 

 leisure day to dissect and skin a duplicate specimen instead 

 of simply popping it into a bottle. 



Begin by dissecting the skin from off the head, taking 

 care not to cut further down than the subcutaneous tissue 

 if you want the head for subsequent dissection. Slit the 

 snake down from chin to tip with a pair of sharp scissors, 

 keeping carefully in the median line of the ventral shields ; 

 separate the skin carefully as far back as possible on each 

 side, and then take off the skin from the head downwards, 

 relieving the tension by frequent strokes of the knife on 

 the subcutaneous tissue. When you have skinned as far as 

 the vent, the skin must be carefully separated from its 

 anal attachments ; and if it does not peel readily off the 

 tail, dissect it off rather than run the risk of breaking it.* 



* The only snake whose body-skin comes off with difficulty is 

 Bungariis fasciatus ; the neural spines are so long and so firmly 

 attached to the vertebral row of scales, that each has to be separately 

 dissected out, no slight matter when two hundred have to be so 

 treated ; even then, button-holes will occasionally be made. In the 

 dhaman there is a most intimate union betwixt the tail and its skin ; 

 on coming to the tail, the skin must be dissected off, do not attempt 

 traction. 



