STATE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 117 



hook will answer, with the barb broken off and a cord attached a foot or 

 two in length. This may be inserted among the bones near the tail after 

 the skin has been partly detached. 



Other implements required are the following : 



pirsf — A sharp knife, of almost any shape, but the surgeon's scalpel 

 without a jointed handle is the best for small kinds, and the common 

 butcher knife, which is of similar shape, for large ones. 



Second — A strong sharp pointed scissors, and for large skins a shears 

 is often useful. 



Third — Triangular Glover's needles for sewing up skins; two or three 



sizes. 



Fourth — A pair of spring forceps, such as are used by surgeons, though 

 not essential, are very useful. 



Fifth — A tape measure, three to six feet long. 



Sixth — A fine saw, or coarse, flat file, to notch small bones before 

 breaking them, so as to make them break evenly. Some use sharp 

 edged nippers for this purpose. Large bones may be broken roughly 

 and the ends smoothed otf. 



QU ADR UPED S. 



Nearly every one knows the common mode of skinning a rabbit. To 

 preserve specimens nearly the same plan is used, except that great care 

 should be taken to peel off the skin without stretching or tearing it, 

 and not to make such a long incision below, unless the animal is larger 

 than a fox, in which case it is best to cut from the chin to the tail, and 

 down the inside of each limb, so that the skin may be spread out and 

 dry thoroughly. All f\it should be carefully scraped off, or removed by 

 rubbing with ashes, sand, plaster, or absorbent paper, which will extract 

 all the oil, with the assistance of the sun's heat. When the skin is 

 peeled down to the feet, these must be cut off from the body, leaving 

 more or less of the bones with the skin, according to size. Those above a 

 cat in size will require the soles of the feet to be cut open, and all soft parts 

 removed from between the bones. The smaller kinds can be preserved 

 by drj'ing, after removing the leg muscles and cutting off the leg bones 

 about the middle. On rCiiching the head, the skin may be completely 

 removed with the lips, or the skull, if small, kept in it. In this case it 

 is usual to cut off the back part of the skull, and remove the brains, 

 eyes, and all other soft parts, leaving the skin attached near the nose 

 and end of lower jaw. 



The best, cheapest, and most convenient preservative of skins for 

 museums is the common arsenic of druggists, which may be moistened 

 with a little alcohol or water, to prevent its dust from being inhaled, and 

 then applied like paste, with a rough brush, or piece of cotton tied to a 

 stick. Many use it dry, sprinkling it with a common dredging or pepper 

 box. No more need be used than sticks readily to the skin when moist, 

 and it must reach every part of the inner surface, bones included. 



Though arsenic preserves the skin^ yet if any fleshy parts are left 

 about it they may be attacked b}^ insects, and the fur also is liable to 

 the attacks of moths. To keep out these, after thorough drying, the 

 skins should be packed in tight boxes, with a piece of camphor tied in a 

 rag or paper with them, or dry tobacco freely sprinkled among them. 

 For museums a solution of corrosive sublimate or other poison is used, 

 sprinkled on the fur^ and the thick parts about the head and feet moist- 



