CHAPTER II. 



COLLECTING AND PRESERVING MAMMALS. 



SECTION I. Collecting. A good way to capture 

 small Mammals in an unsettled section of the coun- 

 try, is, to dig a pit, which may be partly filled with 

 water. A great many of the smaller Rodents, as well 

 as Shrews, Moles, etc., will fall into this during the 

 night. I have practiced this with success while in 

 Florida. 



SECTION II. Skinning. I now say that the tails 

 of both skunks and musk-rats may be skinned in the 

 ordinary way : i. e., stripped out. 



My method of skinning Mammals has changed 

 somewhat. Only small Mammals are to be skinned as 

 described, and the following exceptions are to be made : 

 Do not leave any bones in the skin ; I even remove 

 the bones of the claws, if I wish to mount the skel- 

 eton. This can easily be accomplished, with practice, 

 for the horny covering of the claws will come off read- 

 ily, especially if they be split on the under side. Al- 

 ways remove the skull. 



To make a skin of small Mammals, fill it with cot- 

 ton, and proceed as directed. Label the skull, or, what 

 is better, attach it to the skin. This filling should 

 only be used when a permanent skin is needed for the 

 cabinet. If it is to be mounted at some future time, 

 simply coat the skin with salt, and either wrap it in 

 paper, or pack in a box by itself. 



In skinning large Mammals, the crosscut should bo 

 continued to the foot, and all the bones removed. 



