H\V TO SKIN SMALL ANIMALS. 118 



FIG 2. 

 Showing skin of small animal turned wrong side out. 



Cut the tail off at the base; tie to the exposed stump a 

 strong cord, and fasten it to some stationary object and pull 

 steadily and the tail will easily slip off. This method of 

 skinning the tail should only be practiced on such animals 

 as the fox, raccoon, mink, weasel, squirrel, and those still 

 smaller. A great many taxidermists, however, recommend 

 that the tails of the larger ones just mentioned should be 

 slit open, and that the bottom of the foot should be slit open 

 lengthwise, from the base of the middle toe to the heel. 

 The latter operation is certainly a good one for animals from 

 the size of a raccoon and upwards, or those having fleshy 

 feet, but I hardly think it necessary to slit the tail of those 

 under this head. 



After the tail is cut off continue to detach the skin down 

 to the fore legs. Skin them in the same manner you did the 

 hind legs, and remember to leave all the bones attached to 

 the skin, and also by their natural ligaments, as seen in No. 

 1, Fig. 2. Turn the skin wrong side out over the head, cut 

 the ears off close to the head, using great care while skin- 



