470 APPENDIX. 



E. -DIRECTIONS AS TO THE PRESERVATION OF THE SKINS AND OTHER 



TROPHIES OF ANIMALS ON THE FIELD. 



Contributed by Edwin Ward, F.Z.S. 



General. It must always be borne in mind that the value of any object 

 secured and preserved depends on the completeness with which all its natural 

 features are saved, as well as the condition in which they are kept. This is 

 true in degree for whatever purpose the object is designed ; but it is an absolute 

 essential in regard to specimens for the illustration of natural history. 



Large Game. Those met with in the Central India district will most 

 generally be : the Felidce, most important of which is the Tiger ; many smaller 

 Carnivora; of horned beasts, the gigantic Gour Bos Sylhetanus commonly 

 called the Indian Bison ; Buffalo, Sambar, Cheetal, and other deer. There is 

 also the elephant, largest of all, and other pachyderms. 



When the great game is secured, first turn the animal on its back, and 

 stretching apart the fore and hind legs, proceed to remove the skin. In all 

 cases where the skin is wanted entire, this is best done by making incision from 

 one corner of the mouth through the medial line of belly to the extremity of 

 tail. Next make lateral incisions in order to strip the limbs ; for the fore legs, 

 from the edge of central incision through the armpit along the inner side of the 

 limb, the line of incision inclining slightly to the outer portion, in order that 

 the seam may be less perceptible when the perfect specimen is mounted. A 

 like process through the groin is necessary for the hind legs. The incisions 

 thus made leave the skin in form of tongue pieces over the breast. First apply 

 the knife to these points and detach the skin round to the spine. In doing this 

 it is necessary to clear the limbs, and great care must be taken to leave intact 

 the natural features of the foot. The last metacarpal and metatarsal bones 

 must be left in the skin, whether in the case of Felidce or Cervidce. Now turn 

 over the carcase and draw back the whole skin over the head, exercising parti- 

 cular care in separating the ears and the eyes from the skull. Similar care 

 must be taken as to the lips. For if the rim of the eyelids be severed by the 

 scalpel the injury spreads in a remarkable manner, often so badly as to render 

 the damage seriously conspicuous. As to the ears, they should be separated 

 from the skull close to the bone, or the lower structure will present too large 

 an aperture. The lips must be cut off close to the gums. Having thus taken 

 off the skin, it must be cleaned of all superfluous fat and flesh. The cartilage of 

 the ear must be turned through. The lip must be treated thus : pass the knife 

 between the mucous lining and the outer skin all round the mouth so as to 

 admit of the preservative penetrating this thick portion of the specimen com- 

 pletely. The eyelids and feet must each be treated in a similar manner for the 



