}38 MR. C BODEN KLOSS ON 



Treament of the Skl'll. 



Cut 01- twist tlie stcnll from the body, taking pains not to injure 

 it ill any way, and attach the label immediatel}'. .Skulls can then wait 

 until the skins have been attended to. 



Ill the case of small mammals like bats, shrews, rats or squirrels, 

 if spirit is available, it is only necessary to attach the label : this is 

 liest done by passing one of its threads np into the mouth through 

 the flesh below the tongue and tying it tight up to one side of the jaw : 

 or a lengtii of neck may be left attached to the skull and tlie label 

 tightly tied to this. It is then put into spirit : if only a little of the 

 latter is available, and room is ref|uired, the skull can be taken out 

 after two or three daj's and dried. 



If no spiiit is at hand the brain should be extracted through the 

 foramen marjiium — the opening bj' which tiie spinal cord joins the 

 brain. In no case maij the harl: of th,o sl-ull he cut airai/ in. amj 

 manner or the edgea of the foramen injured. By first thoroughly breaking 

 up the brain with a bit of stick or wire it can always be jerked 

 or scooped out ; water will help. The skull can then be placed 

 to dry in tlia sun or above a fire where animals cannot get at 

 it. Don't put any alum or salt on it. 



With larger skulls the flesh and muscles of the temples and 

 jaws, and the tongue and eyes, should be roughly cut awaj' (care 

 being taken tliat the delicate bones of the roof of the mouth are not 

 injured) and the cranium emptied as already' explained. They 

 can then be pub in spirit or dried straight away ; but whether 

 put in spirit or dried without previous treatment it is a good 

 plan to soak all skulls in water for a few hours to extract as unicli 

 blood as possible. 



Skulls are finally cleaned by boiling or maceration, but this 

 sliould not be undertaken in the field as the teeth and small liones 

 frequently bee uue loosened and get lost. The proper cleaning of 

 skulls is something of an art and in the case of small ones, at any rate, 

 sliould be left to a practised workman. 



After the label is tied on, make a loop of the free ends 

 of the threads ; by means of tiiis the skulls can, when dr}', be threaded 

 on a string or wire and run little risk of getting lost. 



Di-ied uncleaned .skulls should nevei' be mixed with the skins 

 as they may possibly breed beetles or other insect pests. 



TliK.\TMENT UK TIIIC SlCIN. 



Examine tlie skin and remove any flesli and fat still adhering: 

 a few scraps of the former do not matter, but no large expanse nor 

 liimi>s must remain. It is imperative that all fat sliould be cleared 

 away: this is done by slicing it off witli a knife, and scraping or snip- 

 ping with scissors. Happily' most animals are not fat, for the operation is 

 tedious, but preservatives will not penetrate through fat ; also tlie skin 

 will ))econie greasy ami spoil. A good deal of fat can be finally absorb- 



JuriiN. NAT. III.ST. SOC .SIAM. 



