THE OREGON NATURALIST. 93 
TAXIDERMY Take of 
PAULI or wave sla snasiensocaceceereree 500 grains 
5 I eA MMO Rec AL rae txt 125 grains 
MISCELLANEOUS, : 
BIA EMPE (Es chen cauesdecnaseeaesserte 60 grains 
Potash (Potassic hydrate)...... 300 grains 
To prepare seaurchins, cut the skin between 
the jaws and the shell and remove contents. 
Clean and rinse shell. Replace jaws and place 
in alcohol for 24 hours which will keep the 
spines from dropping off. 
Star fish can be laid ona thin board, with 
the arms pinned in the position it is intended 
they should have when dry. Then place in a 
strong br_ne made of salt and water for 24 hours. 
A bath of alcohol is preferable to salt and water 
but it is more expensive. 
Sharks and skates eggs should have a smal] 
incision made where it will show the least. 
Clean and fill with sea sand and when dry the 
sand can be shaken out. 
Conch and helmet she!ls are prepared by 
heoking a wire into the animal and hanging 
them up so that the shell will have no support. 
In three or four days the animal will straighten 
out and the shell drop off. Ifthey are to be 
polished the epidermis is eaten off by placing 
the shells in a strong lye made of potash or 
chloride of lime dissolved in water. Rinse and 
dip in diluted muriatic acid, the strength to be 
regulated according to the work you wish to do. 
Remove from acid, rinse in water to remove 
all traces of acid and brush vigorously with a 
good brush which brings out the polish, A 
little experience will enable one to determine 
how long to leave shell in contact with the acid. 
Large land shells should have hot water 
poured ontothem. In a short time the ani- 
mal can be grasped with forceps and removed 
entire. Some shells are provided with a hard 
horny mouth piece (Ofercu/um) that serves 
‘for a door to close the mouth of. shell. This 
should always be saved and kept with the 
shell. 
Do not neglect to affix data to all specimens. 
Many of the small crustacea may be preserved 
entire in the Wickersheimer solution which is 
made as follows: 
White Arsenic (A7sentous anhyid) ive) 100 grains 
Dissolve in one quart of boiling water. When 
cold filter through paper and add four quarts 
of glycerine (sp. gr. 1.25 )and one quart of 
alcohol (95 % .) 
This is valuable for the preservation of many 
specimens entire. ‘he tendency of the glycer- 
ine being to keep the joints from becoming too 
rigid, Fleshy o jects can be kept in this solu- 
tion indefinitely, and if desired can be taken 
out after maceration and dried. 
Frogs are skinned through the mouth. First 
cut the vertebrae at base of skull and turn skin 
literally inside out through the mouth. Leave 
back bone attached to skin. Remove all flesh. 
Clean skull carefully and annoint with arsenical 
soap. Turn skin back and fill hind legs and 
part of body with tissue paper made pulpy with 
thir fish glue. Forcea light wire, pointed at 
one end and witha small hook bent at the 
othe: end, through the mouth and down each 
hind leg. Pul the wire through until hooked 
end catches in paper filling, and then complete 
filling body and fore legs, which should be 
wired in the same manner as the hind legs. 
Stuff head and throat. Select a pair of eyes 
the right color and set in place while the skin is 
fresh, One stitch will confine the mouth, Bend 
and shape the trog into the position you wish 
him to be. From the plastic nature of the filling 
the body can be molded to any shape desired 
and after drying the specimen is light and the 
wires will be found to te firmly fixed. 
Mount on stand and allow specimen plenty of 
time in which to dry. Very nice work can be 
done by this method. 
Small snakes can be skinned through the 
mouth in the same manner as frogs, care being 
taken not to scratch your hands on the fangs. 
Poison skin and skull, turn and fill in same 
manner as frog. Push a wire several inches in 
