yu 
kept, it may be desirable to leave the hands and feet covered by 
skin, in order to avoid the loss of any of the small bones, and to 
prevent those of different limbs from being mixed. If these bones 
are brought back loose, it is impossible to arrange some of them 
(particularly those of the fingers and toes) with any certainty that 
they are being placed in their proper order. Whenever possible, 
skeletons should be secured of male, female and young animals. 
In every case in which the species is not definitely known, care 
should be taken to attach to the skeleton a characteristic piece of 
the skin, showing the colour of its fur or wool. This must belong 
to the particular ‘individual whose skeleton is being prepared. It 
is very desirable to indicate what species the skeleton probably 
palneas to by reference to the collector's number of skins sent at 
the same time. In all cases, a label recording the precise locality 
in which the animal was killed, with altitude and date, and the 
sex of the specimen, should be tied to the bones. If the skeleton 
is sent in more than one piece, each part should be separately 
labelled, so that there can be no possibility of mixing the parts of 
different individuals. 
Morr Derainep INSTRUCTIONS. 
After the removal of the skin, the abdomen should be cut open 
from the end of the breast-bone to the hip-girdle ; and from the 
cavity thus exposed the whole of the contents should be removed. 
After the intestines, liver and stomach have been taken out, the 
“ ynidriff,” at the front end of the cavity, should be cut through 
to allow of the removal of the heart and lungs. The gullet and 
windpipe can be pulled out from the front of the neck. Special 
care must be taken to avoid injury to the hyoid bones or tongue- 
bones, which generally run from the region of each ear towards 
the lower surface of the larynx (at the front end of the windpipe) 
and back of the tongue, where the two series are joined by means 
of a bone in the middle line. 
All superfluous flesh should next be cut away from the limbs, 
trunk and head. In small animals there is no need to remove any 
flesh from the ribs. Particular care should be taken, throughout 
the operation, to avoid cutting or breaking any of the bones. 
The skull should be severed at the joint which connects it 
with the neck, and not by chopping through the neck-bones. In 
very small animals it may, however, be left in place. After the 
separation of the skull, as much as possible of the brain should be 
removed by stirring up the contents of the brain-case, through the 
opening at the back of the skull, with a blunt stick. This process 
will be facilitated by pouring water into the brain-case. The top of 
the skull should not be sawn off, and no attempt should be made 
to clean out the whole of the brain from the more inaccessible 
regions of the skull, since injury may easily be caused to the 
hones lining the brain- -case if too much cleaning is attempted. 
