APPENDIX: 
— 
AS many specimens are spoilt by either insufficient curing, or curing by 
wrong methods, I have asked Mr. Geo. F. Butt, F.Z.S., who was for many 
years manager to Edwin Ward, whom he has now succeeded, to give me a 
page or two of useful hints on the preservation of skins. The following notes 
are what he has kindly placed at my disposal. I know of no one I can more 
strongly recommend for good work than Mr. Butt. Some of his groups are 
works of art, with most lifelike finish. I have just seen a bear set up by him 
which seems almost to breathe. 
NOTES ON SKINNING THE MAMMALIA AND THE PRESERVATION OF 
SKINS. By Gro. F. BuTT, F.Z.S., Naturalist to the Royal Family, 
49, Wigmore Street, London, W. 
The quadruped killed, the first and important step is to plug up the 
nostrils and throat with cotton-wool or tow, as also any wound from which 
blood may escape. Place the animal on its back, make a longitudinal 
incision with the knife at the lower part of the belly (the vent), and thence in 
as straight a line as possible extending to the chin bone, taking particular 
care that during the operation the hair is carefully divided and ‘not cut. 
Vertical incisions may then be made extending down the inside of each leg 
to the claws. The skin can then be turned back in every direction as far as 
the extent of the incisions will admit of—the legs may now be freed from the 
skin. Next make a straight incision down the under part of the tail to the 
tip, turn the skin back until it is free. Having executed this, there remains 
only to remove the skin from the back and head; to do this place the 
carcase on its side, and with the scalpel carefully separate the skin by 
drawing it towards the head, in skinning which care being taken to cut the 
ears as close to the skull as possible, leaving the cartilage in the skin ; the 
eyelids, also nose and lips, should be carefully skinned without injury. The 
skin is now free from the carcase. Turn the ears inside out, the nostrils, lips, 
and feet, removing all cartilage and flesh. 
Place the skin open on the ground with the fur side down, and remove a 
the flesh and pieces of fat adhering ; scrape the skin well, so as to get away 
all the loose particles of under-skin or pelt. When this has been thoroughly 
done, take powdered alum plentifully, and, with a very small quantity of 
common salt, rub well into the skin, especially into the ears, nostrils, lips, 
~ oie daagib 
