l6 METHODS IN THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 



1 paper of pins. 



1 set of glover's needles, five sizes> 



2 balls of Barbour's Irish flax, No. 12. 

 12 spools Barbour's linen thread. 



1 thimble. 



1 spirit-lamp or gas-stove. 



1 l)all best linen sewing twine. 



1 ])f)bbin of fine, soft thread for winding the plumage of birds, Fig. 7, I'l. TTI. 



1 copper tank in wooden box for coUeeting alcoholics. 



1 alcoholometer for testing the strength of alcohol. 



4 iron kettles of various sizes, from one gallon upwards. 



2 pails, or more. 



\ dozen bowls of dilterent sizes. 

 2 small trowels. 



1 sculptor's broad spatula, copjier, 10 inches long, for moulding. 



1 R. Hoehn Co.'s taxidermist's salinoraeter for testing strength of salt and alum so- 

 lution. 

 1 good stomach and a clear head. 



The scalpel is the necessary instrument for skinning small birds, 



and there is an advantage in having several with variotis sized blades, 

 as seen in Figs. 6 and 7, Plate I. Some are made of a solid piece of 

 steel, like the heavy cartilage knife, Fig. 8, which is best for the larger 

 birds and the smaller mammals. 



The very best knife in shape and quality for heavier work is that 

 called the " killing knife" (Plate I, Fig. 5), manufactured by J. Russell 

 & Co., Green River Works, Turner's Falls, Mass. The price of this 

 knife is only seventy-five cents, and will well repay any taxidermist 

 who will provide himself with several of them. In case you can not 

 procure it, the butcher-knife must, of course, take its place. 



The surgeon's bone forceps, or bone cutters, either straight or 

 curved edge, will be found handy for detaching the legs and necks of 

 turtles, and they are also convenient in the skinning of fishes, birds and 

 small quadrupeds (Fig. 5, Plate III). 



When you come to severing legs and wings, clipping off pieces of 

 flesh, fat, and tendons, each of the various shaped scissors Plate I have 

 their special t:se. 



The skin-scraper (Plate II, Fig. 7) is an absolutely necessary in- 

 strument for scraping or shaving down the hard, dry skins of mammals 

 which you desire to motmt. 



The toothed currier's knife (Fig. 8) is most excellent for paring 

 down the drv skins of large mammals, while the keen-edged one, rep- 

 resented by Fig. 9, is suitable for use on green and dry skins. A sharp 

 draw-shave wnll answer the purpose when the currier's knives can not 

 be obtained. For scraping the dry skins of birds, I ustially take an old 



