284 Taxidermia. 
port, until eee dried, otherwise it would lose its shape 
and shrink together. This support is given by a slip of sti 
paper, upon which the crest’is stretched out, and glued with 
weak gum-water ; or the gum may be dispensed with, as the 
skin is for the most part provided with a glutinous matter, by 
which the slip of paper will be held fast, merely by first wet- 
ting the skin. When the animal is dried sufficiently, take 
off apers and throw them away. The crest of the lit- 
tle water salamander (lacerta taeniata) is so tender, that, in 
order to na it out Fully, it must be moistened and soften- 
ed with w 
in this way. They must = naan pretty much as 
the cnrpeds (see. ss and 8,) be cut open along the iar & H 
sting one eet = gigantic amphibie I cannot, from ex- 
perience, d particular method ; nevertheless, 
if one should luckily fall into my hands, I should treat it just 
as I have now advised, and <a dexterous operator, who has 
west the stufling of indigenous animals, can never be at 
a loss in managing even these huge monsters. 
The treatment of tortoises, on account of their natural 
coat of mail, is more sure: than ou of any other amphi- 
se lies in ae opening and dissecting, — not in filling, 
we must attend first to the examination of of subject, to de- 
termine to which of the three known fantilice it belongs, as 
_ in respect to bodily conformation, especially in the junction 
of the two shields, they difler widely, and must therefore be 
eae very differently. 
sea 
ee 
: a4s 
‘sea turtle, which are readily distinguishable from the 
§ by their broad fin-like feet, are easiest managed ; for 
=e = because their: limbs are larger, and on 
7 er with their head and neck, cannot be 
