1885.] PROCEEDINGS OF UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 685 



Do not try to skin through the mouth, but make a long cut on the 

 under side and skin either way from it. 



Coil up the skeleton and it will make a very compact bundle. 



CROCODILES. 



The breast-bone of crocodiles extends the entire length of the body, 

 and although the hinder portion of it is not attached to the backbone, 

 yet great care is necessary in disemboweling not to cut aw&^y any of the 

 slender bones of which it is formed. 



There are also cartilaginous projections on the ribs which should not 

 be sliced off in roughing them out. 



FISHES. 



Fishes vary so much in their structure that it is a diflScult matter to 

 give any directions for preparing their skeletons that would be of much 

 service. Almost invariably there are two rows of ribs present, and these 

 extend backward for some distance. 



Proceed slowly and carefully, as the edge of the scalpel will often give 

 notice of some unsuspected bone. 



Be especially careful about the head. There is a chain of bones en- 

 circling the eye, and the eyeball itself is often a bony cup. 



Occasionally there are two or three bones attached to the back part 

 of the hinder portion of the head, and the patch of flesh on the cheek 

 is about all that can safely be removed. 



Wash thoroughly, and when the skeleton is hung up to dry place 

 bits of wood or other material between the gills so that the air may cir- 

 culate freely and dry them rapidly. 



PACKING. 



First be sure that a skeleton, and espe(aally a small one, is thoroughly 

 dry. Otherwise it is apt to " sweat" and rot the ligaments. 



In the case of a large skeleton this would do no barm, but as the bones 

 of small animals are left attached to one another by their ligaments and 

 are not wired together, any such separation causes serious nijury. 



If the specimen is the size of a deer, it will be necessary to disjoint 

 the backbone just behind the ribs in order to make a compact bundle, 



A moose or buffalo can be cut up still more by separating the leg- 

 bones at each joint and making several sections of the backbone. 



Occasionally it is necessary to reduce a skeleton to its smallest pos- 

 sible dimensions, and then, in addition to the above measures, the breast- 

 bone must be separated from the ribs by cutting through the cartilage 

 just heloio the end of each rih. The ribs can then be detached from the 

 backbone, and thus dismantled a good-sized skeleton can be packed 

 in a flour barrel. Barrels, by the way, are very good for packing pur- 

 poses. 



