OF SKINNING QUADRUPEDS. 7 



stances, the incision is made as high as the collar bone. In 

 this operation the hairs must be carefully separated to the right 

 and left, and none of them cut, if possible. The skin is also 

 turned back to the right and left, putting pads of cotton or 

 tow between it and the muscles, as the skinning is proceeded 

 with. If any fatty or oily substance should be noticed, it 

 must be carefully wiped away. The skin being removed as 

 far in every direction as the extent of the incision will admifc 

 of, each of the thighs must be separated at its junction with 

 the pelvis, that is, by the head or ball of the Osfemoris* or 

 thigh bone. The intestinal canal is then cut across, a lit'Je 

 way above the anus, and then the tail is separated, as close to 

 the animal as possible. After this the pelvis is pulled out of 

 the skin, and the skin separated from the back by inserting 

 the handle of the scalpel cutting-knife between it and the car- 

 case. It is pulled gradually upwards until the operator reaches 

 the shoulders. The whole hinder parts and trunk of the body 

 being thus out of the skin, the next operation is to remove the 

 fore -legs, by separating them from the body at the shoulder- 

 joint, or the base of the Os humeri. When the joint of one 

 shoulder has been separated from the body, the leg is again 

 put into the skin, and the animal then turned in order to repeat 

 the same with the other side, the limb of which is also re- 

 turned. The skin is then removed from the neck. The next 

 thing is to separate the skin from the head by the assistance 

 of the scalpel. It is taken off as far as the point of the nose ; 

 while great care must be taken not to injure the eyelids, and 

 to cut the ears as close to the skull as possible ; and also to 

 avoid cutting the lips too close. 



All this having been performed, the head and trunk of the 

 animal are completely separated from the skin. The next 

 operation is to remove the head of the animal from the trunk, 

 at the upper bone of the vertebrae. The external muscles of 

 the head and face are then carefully cut off with a scalpel, and 

 the bones left as free from flesh as possible. The occipital 

 bones are next enlarged by means of a strong knife, or other 

 instrument ; and the brain all carefully removed. The fore legs 



* Those who are unacquainted with the names of the different bones of 

 the skeleton, will find a full detail of those of both Quadrupeds and Birds, 

 in our description of Plate I. 



