HOW TO CURE SKINS AND 



of the inside of the thighs, meeting the main cut first made 

 about six inches from the root of the tail. The skin round 

 the eyes and ears should be carefully separated from the 

 skull, and as close to the bone as possible, the lips being 

 pared as thin as they can be done without destroying the 

 roots of the moustache. Now remove every particle of 

 flesh and fat from the skin, especially about the lips and 

 ears. Then, a suitable spot having been selected in the 

 shade, and thoroughly cleaned, cover it over with a thin 

 layer of clean straw, and peg the skin down on it, fur 

 downwards and as symmetrically as possible, great care 

 being taken to preserve its original proportions, which 

 can best be accomplished by a liberal use of pegs.* A 

 good width should be obtained across the shoulders so 

 that the yellow fur may be entirely surrounded by its 

 margin of white, and thus add greatly to the beauty of 

 the skin. The ears, lips, and feet must be well painted 

 over with a strong solution of arsenical soap, the rest of 

 the skin being rubbed with finely powdered burnt alum, 

 or if alum is not procurable, wood ashes, which will answer 

 the purpose for awhile, and till properly cured. 



The skin will take about three days to dry, and should 

 then be sprinkled freely with turpentine on the fur side 

 to keep insects off. After this it should be rolled up, with 

 sheets of paper inside to prevent the fur being rubbed off, 

 and sent home in this condition to be tanned, for natives 

 are not good hands at tanning, and are apt to use salt, 

 which rots the skin, especially in hot damp weather, and 

 many a good skin has been spoilt by being treated in this 

 way. 



The skulls of tigers, panthers, etc., can be cleaned after 

 the fleshy parts have been thoroughly removed with a knife. 

 The four large canine fangs or teeth should be covered 

 with a thick coating of bees' wax to exclude the air, or 

 are liable to splinter. It is a curious fact that while many 

 of the fangs are hollow, others are solid, heavy ivory. 



In preserving the masks of deer or antelope for setting 

 up, care should be taken to remove the skin of the whole 



* It is a good plan to peg the skin down at the nose and end of tail, 

 eighteen inches longer than the animal actually measures, for no amount 

 of transverse stretching then can pull the skin out of proportion. AUTHOR. 



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