METHODS JX THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 203 



the inside a coating of arsenical paste and llicn rub on a mixture o( 

 two-thirds powdered alum and one-third arsenic. If you are in the 

 field and nothing but salt is obtainable, put on all the skin will Ijold. 

 When large skins are to be hung uj) to dry, it is best to give them a 

 coat of arsenical paste and equal parts cf powdered alum and salt. 

 Mammals that are skinned, like the deer in Plate LI, should be folded 

 similar to our dog skin in Plate XLX'III, with the leg bones attached 

 to the skin and folded. The legs may be arranged underneath. In this 

 case the bones of the legs should be wrapped with tow, paper, cotton, 

 cloth, straw or dry grass to keep the bones from touching the skin. 

 In this shape the skin is a good one for study or for mounting, and in 

 excellent condition for shipping. If the subject is larger than a deer, 

 for example an elk or a moose, it is always best to di.sjoint the legs at 

 the first joint above the foot, in the hind legs leaving the cal- 

 caneum attached to the canon bone, which will remain in the skin. 

 By so doing the skin may be folded into smaller compass, and the leg 

 bones and skull may be bundled together and properly labeled as be- 

 longing to a particular skin. The skin and the bones may be done up 

 in separate bundles and more easily transported than with all the 

 bones attached to the skin in animals of large size. Any collecior 

 who has had the least experience in mounting mammals, especially 

 those prepared upon the dermoplast^ic method, will never be guilly 

 of throwing away any of the leg bones. They are the guide by 

 which we are to obtain the true length of the legs and the shape of the 

 joints. If we do not have these or others, we must imitate them the 

 best we can by carving them out of wood. If it is absolutely neces- 

 sary for you to lighten your burden in traveling from the field, do at 

 least, save all the bones of one hind and one fore leg; they are valua- 

 ble, for accuracy is the chief object in mounting a mammal. 



Never allow the flat skin of a mammal to dry in the sun, but 

 always in the shade, using the preservatives as directed above and as 

 noted on page 40. 



No animal skin should leave your hands without a label attached 

 to it, containing date, locality, measurements, etc , as noted in Chapter 

 III, page 56. The measurements which should be taken of small 

 mammals will be found on page 182 (foot-note), and those for the large 

 specimens in foot-note on page 220. 



After all that has been said on the preparation and making up of 

 dry mammal skins, I shall emphasize what has already been said con- 

 cerning \\\Q. preservation of skins in a zvet state with the salt and alum 

 bath in the lead-lined tank, as devised by Professor Wiley, pages 61-02. 



