98 Lessons in Nature Study. 



contour the better and emphasize their functions and names 

 upon the pupil. 



The last step is the construction of a complete skeleton. 

 For this purpose it is well to select some animal whose 

 bones are large enough to bore and wire easily. I have 

 found that of a dog to be the best. Nearly every child can 

 tell where a dog has .been buried. If long dead, the remains 

 can be disinterred without serious offence to eyes or nose. 

 I would advise, however, that the first trial of this kind be 

 made on a fresh specimen. 



The boys will readily skin the body and remove the 

 viscera. Then boil the body in water for an hour or two in 

 an old kettle or boiler out in the yard. Having cooked the 

 dog until the flesh is beginning to loosen from the bones, 

 take carefully from the water and remove the legs entire. 

 Give each pupil i part to clean, as a leg, a head, the spinal 

 column, or the ribs. This is done without touching the 

 flesh if it is thoroughly cooked. Let each pupil keep his 

 bones separate, and when cleaned have them boiled a few 

 moments in water with soap, sal-soda, or other alkaline sub- 

 stance. This removes the grease and renders the bones 

 white and smooth. 



If on drying they still smell of fat, cover with water in 

 which some bleaching-powder is dissolved. This deodor- 

 izes and disinfects the bones. 



Let each pupil bore and wire his part as he did in the 

 preceding three lessons. When all parts are wired, join 

 them together and mount on a board so cut as to fit the 

 back and mounted on another board for a stand. The 

 accompanying photograph is that of a dog put up and 

 mounted by my physiology class of 1893. The boards 

 were sawed, fitted, etc., the bones bored, wired, etc. in 

 short, the whole work was done by the boys and girls. 



Of course work of this kind is done only by older pupils, 

 but those pupils who have done the earlier work can do 

 this last with ease. It requires little time in school. The 

 boiling and scraping are done out of school hours. The 



