THE MUSEUM. 



1 1 1. 



of the specimen, the sex, your cata- 

 logue number, the date, locality, 

 measurements, and anything else of 

 interest. Let me suggest a size and 

 pattern. 



Collection of JAMES D. BROOKS. 

 364. TamiaS striatus. Female. 

 Waterloo, De Kalb Co.,Ind. Aug. 12, i8go. 



239- 97- 35- 16. 

 Pouches full of maple seeds. 



The above figure shows both sides 

 of the label. A string may be passed 

 through holes in the end (the two dots 

 :) and the label securely tied to the 

 left leg of the specimen. 



When you have prepared a label 

 similar to the above, you are ready to 

 skin the mammal. Not before. If 

 measuring and cataloguing are too 

 much trouble, throw the specimen 

 away and spend your time on some- 

 thing else. 



Lay the mammal on its back. Ex- 

 tend an incision along the median ven- 

 tral surface from a point posterior to 

 the arms, to the vent. The opening 

 must be large enough for the body to 

 pass through. Loosen the skin as far 

 down on each side as possible. It 

 should also be loosened around each 

 leg. The legs may then be pulled up 

 and the skin pushed down to the toes. 

 If it is more convenient, the legs may 

 be cut off before they are skined. The 

 greater part of the tibia "''' as well as 

 the bones distal to it should be left at- 

 tached to the skin. All flesh should 

 be carefully removed from them. Cut 

 across the vent and loosen the skin all 



* "Osteology of the Mammalia;" Flowei". 

 will be found to be very useful. 



around the base of the tail. Remove 

 the tail from the skin. Should there 

 be much fat on the skin of the tail, 

 the tail will have to be split, and the 

 fat removed. Turn the skin back- 

 ward. Treat the arms much as you 

 did the legs, leaving the bones distal 

 to the humerus attached to the skin. 

 Carefully ' cut the skin around the 

 teeth. 



Every particle of fat and other tissue 

 must now be carefully removed from 

 the skin. If the least bit of fat re- 

 mains it will surely give you trouble. 



Sew the mouth shut from the in- 

 side. 



The preservation '•'" i' should now be 

 applied. Be sure that every part is 

 well poisoned. Be careful to get the 

 poison down to the fingers and toes 

 and also the entire length ot the tail. 



If you are preparing a large skin it 

 may be treated with salt and alum and 

 left over night. It should then be 

 wiped dry and poisoned. 



If the skin is a small one, it should 

 be stuffed with cotton. Stuff the head 

 quite full. Put less in the neck. Fill 

 the shoulders full, stuff the legs and 

 put enough to round up the hips. Stuff 

 the hind legs. Insert a wire, care- 

 fully wrapped with cotton, clear to 

 the end of the tail. The wire should 

 be long enough lo extend some dis- 

 tance into the body and should be 

 of annealed iron. Write a label on 

 parchment, bearing at least your name 

 and catalogue number: (it is best to 



* A mixture of three parts arsenic to one of 

 alum is perhaps the best preservative to use. 

 The skin will dry more quickly than if arsen- 

 ical soap is used. 



t The skin may now be thrown into a strong 

 solution of salt and alum and left until you 

 have more\ime or a better opportunity to- 

 complete it. Use no saltpeter, It will de- 

 calcify the bones and ruin the skin. 



