CHAPTER VII. 



PRESERVATION OF TROPHIES. 



THIS chapter is not meant to be an exhaustive treatise on the way to preserve 

 skins and trophies, to learn about which we would refer the reader to 

 Rowland Ward's little book on this subject.* 



A few practical hints, however, noted down in the field, might not be out of place 

 here. If headskins are to be kept, take care, directly the animal is shot, to see that 

 the throat is cut low down the neck, and not from ear to ear, as the native will do it if 

 not prevented. In separating the headskin from the body it should be cut far 

 back round the shoulders, especially in the case of a sable or a long-necked gazelle, to 

 which a taxidermist could not give the proper arch of the neck if cut too short. 



In removing the skin from the head, if it is left to a raw native to do, he will 

 invariably leave half an inch or more of skin round the base of the horns, which, 

 of course, spoils it for setting up. 



Particular care should be taken to keep the skull and headskin separate, 

 otherwise the Bacon Beetle {Dermestes ladratus) is certain to find its way into the 

 skin. 



Never is one so forcibly reminded of the old adage, "If you want a thing done 

 well do it yourself," as in dealing with skins, for the native of Central Africa knows 

 nothing about the curing or preparation of them, and does not intend to learn, 

 if he can help it. 



In skinning an animal he will make every mistake you could imagine, and a 

 good few that you could not. 



Thus, in removing the body skin he will almost invariably skin the legs by 

 cutting down the outside instead of the inside, that is to say, supposing the animal 

 to be a lion or leopard and he has been prevailed upon to leave the paws on, when 

 the skin is stretched out, the pads will be seen uppermost with two toes each side 

 of them. 



An ordinary trade knife, at about a shilling, is sufBcient to skin any animal from a 

 duiker to an elephant, and about half a dozen of these should be taken. 



* "The Sportsman's Handbook." 



