I04 



THE MUSEUM. 



Voluta Junonica, a rare species of shell from 

 Florida, at one time worth over $150. 



look out for any projections of bones 

 so as not to cut them off. 



Remove as much of the brain as 

 possible with a scraper, bent wire, or 

 small stick. 



In cleaning the ribs take care not to 

 cut the cartilages joining them to the 

 breast-bone, and when the tail is 

 reached, look for a few little bones 

 projecting downwards from the first 

 few vertebrae. 



If time allows, soak the roughed-out 

 skeleton in water for a day or two to 

 extract the blood; at all events wash 

 thoroughly and brush with a good stiff 

 brush. 



Fold the legs snugly along the body, 

 or, if they have been detached, tic 

 them together with the skull on the 

 under side, as much as possible within 

 the chest cavity; also turn down the 

 tail and tic it upon itself. 



Roll up in a bit of rag and fasten- 

 securely to one of the long bones any 

 bones which may have been detached 

 or any splinters from a broken bone. 



Hang up to dry in the shade, "" where 

 it will escape dogs, cats, and rats. 



Lastly, in case a small skeleton is 

 likely to be some time on the road, 

 give it a very thin coat of arsenical 

 soap to preserve it from the attacks of 

 Demestes and other insects. 



SPECIAL POINTS. 



Embracing the upper part of the 

 windpipe and connecting it with the 

 base of the skull is a series of bones 

 known as the hyoid apparatus. This 

 should be carefully saved. 



There are usually small bones, 

 termed sesamoids, imbeded in the ten- 

 dons, where they play over the under 

 sides of the toes, and on this account 

 the tendons should never be cut off 

 close to the bone. There are often 

 one or two small bones on the back 

 lower portion of the thigh-bone, and 

 these should be left in place. 



In preparing the skeletons of rabbits 

 particular attention should be given to 

 the shoulder blade, as this has a slend- 

 er projection at the lower end which 

 extends some distance backward. 



The male organ of a great many 

 quadrupeds, as in the raccoon, is pro- 

 vided with a bone. As it is difficult to 

 say when this may or may not be pres- 

 ent, it should always be looked for, 

 and when found left attached to the 

 hip-bones. 



CONTINUED NE.XT MONTH. 

 Proceedings United States National Museum, 1885. 



* In this the collector will necessarily be 

 governed by circinnstanees, as in moist cli- 

 mates it may be needful to dry a specimen in 

 the sun, or even by the aid of a fire, although 

 this should be done only as a last resort. 



