.Q2 METHODS IN THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 



But who should attempt to write on the mounting of turtles since 

 Lucas has written ! 



" For skinning purposes turtles may, like Gaul, be divided into 

 three groups. First, the sea-turtles, having a moderate sized lower 

 shell or plastron, feet in the form of paddles, and legs which, like the 

 short neck, are practically non-retractile ; second, those which, like the 

 snapping-turtle, have a small plastron and neck and legs largely re- 

 tractile ; and, lastly, turtles with a large under shield, and the power 

 to draw the neck and legs quite under cover. This third group com- 

 prises the large majority of turtles, and, unfortunately, those most 

 difficult to skin. A word as to the killing of turtles : ' I am told ' — 

 but have never tried it — that a short immersion in warm water is 

 fatal, and sincerely hope it may be so, as these reptiles are ordinarily 

 very tenacious of life. Cyanide of potassium, so deadly to animals 

 more highly organized, acts very slowly, and although the spinal col- 

 umn becomes paralyzed in a few hours, the limbs move at the expira- 

 tion of a day and a half. Chloroform, however, appears to kill rapidly 

 and easily, and it is only necessary to saturate a wad of cotton with the 

 liquid, tie it over the animal's nose when he draws in his head, and 

 leave for half an hour or so. In the absence of chloroform and warm 

 water, there remains only the barbarous but rapid plan of sewing 

 through the shell into the heart. 



" To skin a turtle with any degree of comfort it is absolutely nec- 

 essary to have a small saw. If wealthy and addicted to the collec- 

 tion of good tools, buy a small dissecting saw, which costs twice as 

 much as it should. A very good substitute can be made by breaking 

 three or four inches off a hack saw and fitting it to a wooden handle, 

 drawing the temper at one end to punch holes for the rivets. A pair 

 of bone forceps may be a luxury, but they will be found a great con- 

 venience in detaching the neck and legs, and are wonderfully handy 

 in skinning large birds and small mammals. In skinning a sea-turtle, 

 saw through the under shell on either side, and with a knife continue 

 the cut clear around the hinder portion of it. Leave sufficient skin 

 attached to the border of the plastron to enable you to readily sew the 

 edges of the cut together when the specimen is mounted. Continue 

 the cuts toward the shoulder far enough to allow the plastron to be 

 turned forward, thus exposing the interior of the body. INIake a cut- 

 under each flipper and the last half of the tail. Disjoint and skin the 

 legs, removing by the cut on the underside what flesh cannot be readily 

 reached from within, and working as far toward the end of the flipper 

 as is possible. Leave all the leg-bones attached to the flippers. "With 



