INSTRUCTIONS FOR PREPARING MAMMAL SKINS. J35 



Mammals which come to hand still alive can be killed b}' chloro- 

 form, drowning, or by pressure on the chest — in the case of the smallest 

 kinds between the thumb and fingers ; bites and scratclies should be 

 guarded against. Lirger animals whicii are wounded and which it is 

 not desirable to shoot again for fear of injuring the skins are most 

 quickly put out of pain b\- placing a stout stiok across the chest and 

 standing on the ends. 



Mammals should be skinned as quickly as possible after death. 

 In hot climates they should be gutted as soon as obtained and the body 

 cavity filled with cotton, paper or dry leaves ; this jjractice is especially 

 neces.sary with those that have been trapped during the night — 

 presuming that the collector will be busy in the field in the morning 

 and will not be able to commence skinning until the approach of 

 mid-day. 



If it is not possible to skin a specimen within a few hours after 

 death, a few drops of formalin on the material placed in the body will 

 delay decomposition for some time. Another method that may be 

 resorted to when delay is unavoidable is to shut the specimens in a 

 box in which a few drops of formalin have been spriidiled — but in this 

 case all blood stains must be washt-d away at first or they will become 

 fi.\ed by tiie foi'malin vn])oui'. 



Small animals which have been well impregnated with pure 

 formalin become munnny-like and will keep for years, though they do 

 not become pretty objects with the passage of time. The method may 

 serve for the preservation of an odd specimen at a pinch, but a 

 collection made in this way is not likely to gain much appreciation. 



MeASURKMENT.S and LABEI.rJNfi. 



The following measurements slioukl be taken with accuracy, of 

 all specimens. aliritii,< exflnsire of ihe Jmir : — 



1. Total Length. ( tii>"of mu/zle to tip of tail). Supjde the 

 specimen and place it back downwards on the measure, with the tiji of 

 tlie nose held steadily over zero; straighten out the body and tail witii- 

 out unduly stretching them and record the length to the end of the tail 

 vertebrae. 



2. Tail. IM.ace the measure on the table so that it projects 

 beyond Ihe edge to the left for half an inch or so. Bend the tail of 

 the Sjiecimen back at right angles to the body, fit the ai)ex of the 

 angle to the end of the measure, the body hanging vertically mean- 

 wliile sujiportcd by the hand ( or the latter may be jiressed on the base 

 of the tail), straighten out the tail and read off the length. 



3. Hind-foot. Measure with the compasses from the back of 

 the lieel to the tip of the longest toe, exrlnsire of clair. .Straighten the 

 foot before tlie measurement is talcen. In the case of lioofed animals 

 the measurement is taken fiom the tip of tlie hoof, bent downwards, to 

 the heel, which is the joint above the cannon-bone. (Fig- 2). 



4. Ear. Measure with the compasses from the extreme tip 



VdL. II. M.w r.'i7. 



