FOR THE HIMALAYAS. 47 



matches, 61b. oatmeal, lib. Yeatinan's yeast powder, 21b. erbswiirst, 

 71b. sugar, 21b. tea, one bottle sauce, lib. salt and pepper, 21b. 

 soap, one bottle ink, ^lb. Liebig's extract of meat, two tins 

 condensed milk, four tins cocoa and milk, one tin bacon 

 altogether about 551b. contents. 



No. 11 Case. Balance of stores, about 601b. 



REMOVING AND DRYING SKINS, &c. 



It is most essential to give personal supervision to the removal 

 of skins from heads and carcases, as well as to their subsequent 

 stretching and drying. Not one shikarie in a hundred will do 

 them as they require to be done, to ensure their being set up 

 properly by some well-known taxidermist subsequently. I am 

 sure some general information will be of use to anyone commencing 

 a tour through the hills, even if not bent on sport, for he may 

 pick up some bird or animal, the skin of which he wishes to pre- 

 serve as a temporary measure until it can be sent home or tanned. 

 For a full treatise on the art, I recommend Rowland Ward's 

 " The Sportsman's Handbook," and shall endeavour to give such 

 hints here as will enable you to save skins from destruction. 



As to birds, the best way to skin them is by making an incision 

 from the side of the abdomen up to the shoulder, under the wing ; 

 by working out the rump and body you can get to the legs, clearing 

 them down to the knee joints from the hips, where they should be 

 divided. Then work to the wings, extracting each as far as the 

 last joint, remove all meat, &c., and divide from the trunk at the 

 shoulder, not at the last joint. Then work down the neck to the 

 head, off which the skin should be cleared to the base of the 

 mandibles. Clear the interior of the skull, remove tongue and 

 palate, after having separated the head from the neck, and your 

 skin is ready for preserving. 



Working back, anoint the inside of the skull, as well as the 

 exterior, and all the skin, with arsenical soap ; be careful that the 

 leg and wing bones are quite free from meat. Place rolls of tow 

 or cotton wool in each limb, with some insect powder sprinkled 

 through, and turn the skin right side out again. Stuff the body 

 to the natural size, especially the neck; there should be a roll of 

 tow inside the latter the exact length of that of the specimen, so 

 that the skin will dry correctly. Dust the feathers well with 



