754 AFRICAN GAME ANIMALS 



whole margin and thrown away, as it is of no value in the 

 the mounting and is very refractory when dried. The head 

 skins of these four animals — the hippopotamus, rhinoceros, 

 giraffe, and elephant — require to be pared down at least to 

 half their original thickness in order to allow the salt to 

 penetrate through the dermal layer to the epidermis. The 

 necks of such large animals as buffalo, eland, and oryx also 

 require a considerable amount of paring to insure preser- 

 vation. 



The skins of antelope and the hoofed mammals generally 

 can be most conveniently preserved as flat skins. In re- 

 moving the skin for this purpose a longitudinal cut is made 

 from the base of the tail forward to the point of the breast, 

 to which four cuts are joined, one down the inside of each 

 leg, beginning at the hoof. The cuts for skinning the head 

 are made as usual on the nape. A further cut is made the 

 whole length of the tail, following the median line of the 

 under side. In skinning the body the leg bones are severed 

 as far down in each hoof as it is possible to reach with the 

 knife after first severing the bone at the fetlocks. In rhinoc- 

 eros and hippopotamus the ventral cut must be continued to 

 the chin, as it is not possible in such thick-skinned animals 

 to peel the skin off over the head. In giraffe, however, it 

 will be found necessary only to continue the neck cut along 

 the dorsal mane to the withers. 



If the skins are desired for mounting it is better to make 

 as few cuts as will answer the purpose of preservation. In 

 such collecting, case skins may be advantageously made. 

 In antelope and carnivores the cuts down the legs may be 

 dispensed with, the leg bones in the case of antelopes being 

 removed by first skinning down to the hock or knee from the 



