1840 Journal of Applied Microscopy 



wings and legs and put the rest to soak. It took longer to soften the meat and 

 decay it, but in time the skeleton took the form you see. It was, however, 

 impossible to get the bones whitened by any of the devices that we employed. 



The wings or legs that are to be preserved with the outer skin structures 

 showing are carefully cleaned by dissection and then by bleaching ; it is a tedious 

 process to do them in that way. In cases where epidermal tissues or remnants 

 of connective tissue or muscle are left in any part of the skeleton they invite the 

 attacks of moths and other museum pests. Mr. Tyrrell has found that shellac 

 dissolved in alcohol spread on the skin coats it with a layer which excludes these 

 offenders. We have not experimented on this point, but should think that a 

 weak solution of corrosive sublimate such as is used by the botanists in poison- 

 ing plants could be used to advantage. 



If a skeleton is made very soon after the animal has died, it will come out 

 nearly or quite white. We have a very beautiful parrot skeleton that is as white 

 as ivory without having been bleached, but in many instances a treatment with 

 a bleaching solution if very carefully conducted will be well repaid. We owe 

 the formula we have used to Mr. H. W. Howling, a taxidermist of Minneapolis. 

 It consists of one-half pound of quick-lime, one pound of sal soda dissolved in 

 one gallon of water. This solution is too strong for any but the heaviest bones 

 or skulls, and for such skeletons as we have been describing must be reduced 

 with at least half its weight of water. It is raised to the boiling point and the 

 skeleton is immersed in it and carefully watched ; a little too long, and the bones 

 will fall apart, but less time than this and they are beautifully whitened. The 

 skeleton must be removed and held under the tap and thoroughly rinsed to 

 remove the alkali. It is found, too, that the last traces of flesh have been eaten 

 by the bleacher and the skeleton left in a beautiful condition. It must not be 

 allowed to dry now till it is in final position. If you haven't time to adjust it 

 put it in weak formalin, which is a most convenient fluid for holding things in 

 statu quo. 



In the final setting up of the skeleton much depends on the "naturalness" 

 of the position of the different parts. This must first be learned by having 

 recourse to good pictures of the animals from life, or, better, if the living animal 

 can be seen by a direct study from that source. The hind legs if they have been 

 separated are attached by drilling with a small hand-drill a hole through them 

 and through the acetabulum and running a piece of soft wire through and bend- 

 ing the ends. If you do not know about tools tell a good mechanic your needs 

 and let him select a hand drill for you and a pair of pliers for twisting wire. A 

 good small drill can be made by mounting a needle in a wooden handle and 

 grinding the end off. Several grades of brass wire are needed ; the spring wire 

 is best. It can be heated and thus used for soft wire too. The first step in the 

 final stage of the process is to select a piece of wire of approximately the size of 

 the spinal canal and to give it all the bends that the spinal column of the animal 

 would have in life. These give the shape to the body. The wire is then in- 

 serted and pushed into position. A piece is left stickmg out anteriorly, to which 

 a piece of cork is fitted the size of the foramen magnum, to attach the head. If 

 the object is a mammal or other quadruped, it is now supported by means of 



