118 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



gned with it. Campor or flea powder arc, however, the best for specimens 

 in tight boxes. 



The tails of animals may be skinned by drawinp^ the vertebrae out 

 slowly, or, fastening the stump of the vertebra) firmly, slip a noose over 

 it, and gradually pull it toward the end of the tail, drawing the skin 

 with it. After powdering with arsenic, the bones may be returned in the 

 skins of small species. In larger kinds it is sometimes necessary to 

 split down the skin of the tail part of its length. 



Small skins which are inverted like a glove in skinning may now be 

 loosely filled with cotton, dry hay, tow, or other vegetable matter, so as 

 to restore somewhat their natural shape, filling the cavities of the skull 

 before turning the right side out, wrapping a little around each leg bone, 

 and then the cut may be sewed up by a few coarse stitches. The thread 

 may also be passed through the skin of each foot so as to keep them in 

 a neat position, and the fur being smoothed over, the specimen may be 

 laid on a shelf to dry, or, when travelling, enveloped in a roll of stiff 

 paper until dry. It retains the shape given to it until wanted for mount- 

 ing, when it is steamed to make it pliable. 



Large skins may be spread out flat, and when dry rolled into a bale. 

 The skull should be preserved whole for these, being boiled until the 

 flesh is easily separated, then cleaned, and the brains removed through 

 the opening at the base. ' 



Allanimals not too large, may be preserved in alcohol entire, and this 

 is the best mode for new and rare species that require dissection and 

 study, though not suitable for such as are to be mounted afterwards in 

 museums. The present high price of alcohol in all forms, will prevent 

 the general use of this mode except for rarities. Eeptiles and fishes, 

 however, are generally very difficult to preserve in an}^ other manner. 

 All specimens put into alcohol should have a hole cut in the bell}' to 

 allow it to soak through them, and if large, the intestines may be 

 removed, or the skin may be taken off, with the head and feet attached, 

 and put in alcohol, where it will keep some weeks without injury, and 

 may be mounted afterwards. Quadrupeds, smaller than a squirrel, are 

 •best for examination entire, taking the precaution to cut a hole or two 

 in them. For vertebrated animals the alcohol should be diluted with 

 one third water, and full a third of the capacity of the vessel containing 

 it be left above that occupied by the specimens. If kept in it more than 

 a month, the alcohol should be changed once. Insects require the 

 strongest alcohol. 



A little alum and tartar emetic added to alcoholic specimens increases 

 their chance of preservation, and prevents its being drank b}^ those 

 whose love of liqupr overcomes all scruples, such persons being not very 

 uncommon ;n districts where liquor is iscarce and bpecimens particularly 

 valuable. 



BIRDS. 



The general principles for skinning birds are the same as for quadru- 

 peds. The measurements to be made are : The length from tip of bill 

 to end of tail, the length of the last joint of the wings, and the distance 

 from tip to tip of wings. These may be iiidicaled on the label b}- figures 

 only, as it is always understood that the spread of wings is the greatest, 

 and the length of wing the smallest measurement. Kote the color of 

 the eyes, feet, bill, cere or membrane at its base, bare skin on head, etc., 

 and the sex, which may be ascertained after skinning by examining the 

 body, when the ovaries of the female containing minute eggs, or the 



