INTRODUCTION xxxi 



animal stood upon it; erect there a stick to mark the bottom line, 

 and another to mark the top of shoulders, at the skin. The dis- 

 tance between the two perpendiculars, in a straight line, will be 

 the true height of the animal. Do not follow any curves. 



2. The "Length of head and body'''' must be obtained in a straight 

 line between root of tail and end of nose, with the head drawn straight 

 forward, and not following any curves. The ''Length of tail" is 

 from its base to the end of the vertebrae. 



3. The "Girth'" is the tight circumference of the animal imme- 

 diately behind the fore legs. 



4. The "Depth of the body" is the distance in a straight line from 

 the top of the shoulders to the brisket, or lower line of the breast, 

 immediately behind the fore leg. To artists, sculptors, and taxi- 

 dermists, this is a very important measurement. 



5. The "Circumference of the neck" is taken half-way between 

 the ears and shoulders, close to the skin. 



6. The " Length from head of femur to head of humerus" is also 

 a highly valuable figure for artists, and it is easily taken by feeling 

 through the skin for the high points of those joints. 



7. Weigh an animal before it is "dressed"; but if the dressed 

 weight of a deer is known, a close approximation to its live weight 

 can be obtained by the aid of the rule given on page 68, volume II. 



Antlers and Horns 



1. The "Length on outer curve" is obtained by starting the tape- 

 line at the base of the horn, at its lowest point on the face, and fol- 

 lowing the curves or windings of the horn, quite to the tip. In 

 horns that are deeply ringed, such as those of the large African 

 antelopes, the tape must not be pressed into the hollows between 

 the ridges. 



2. The "Greatest sj>rcad" is taken from outside to outside of 

 the antlers where they spread widest! This should not be taken 

 inside the horns, for that does not represent the real width of the 



