366 Kansas Academy of Science. 



My old standby for a tan-liquor, which I have used at the Uni- 

 versity for the past thirty years, hae been made of salt and alum. 

 Five quarts of salt and one quart of alum to five gallons of water 

 make a tan-liquor that has kept individual skins in good shape for 

 over twenty years. After making a barrel or tank of this liquor, it 

 is usually tested with a hydrometer for a reading of about 15 on the- 

 index scale, which gives about a 15-per-cent. solution. 



This is about the strength we use for the permanent keeping of 

 skins. However, a saturated solution will not harm a skin if it is 

 not left in it too long. Sometimes fresh skins are placed in a very 

 strong solution, half salt and half alum, particularly if the skins 

 show some signs of decay. If skins are left for a year or more in 

 strong brine, the epidermis about the hoofs and claws is more or 

 less damaged. 



Last year we mounted some skins that had been in this standard 

 tan-liquor for twelve years. They were in good shape and worked 

 well, but, of course, were not so elastic as fresh skins. We are now 

 mounting some that have been in tan-liquor and some that have 

 been kept dry for over twenty years. These skins have some de- 

 fects which will be explained now in this paper, under the heading 

 of "'Grease." 



GREASE. 



The one thing that has caused more trouble, and, which, I think 

 I am safe in saying, has destroyed more museum skins than all 

 other agencies combined, is grease. If there is grease in a skin, 

 sooner or later it will go to the bad. Some skins, like those of the^ 

 deer or antelope, have very little grease in them. Others, like 

 those of the bear, skunk, wolf, lynx and seal, are full of grease, and 

 it is with great difficulty that it can be removed. 



Over twenty years ago I packed away for experiment in a dry 

 condition some antelope, deer and sheep skins that had been thor- 

 oughly dressed and cleaned according to the best methods then 

 known for doing such work. The main body parts of these skina 

 are in very good condilion. 



The skins were folded in rectangular packages with head, feet 

 and hair side of skins on the inside of the bundles. In a number 

 of cases where the toe bones came in contact with the fleshy sides 

 of the skins there are greasy and rotten places, caused by the grease 

 that exuded from the bones. The skin around the feet that con- 

 tained these bones is more or less injured The noses on some of 

 the skins that did not have all the grease worked out of them are 

 tender and not much good. 



I have finally come to the conclusion, after many years of pains- 



