GuicE TO Taxitermy 



105 



Lar^e Mammals 



The following instructions apply for animals 

 from the size of a fox. uj) ; and for very short- 

 haired smaller animals. A fox or long-haired dog 

 can be mounted by either method, commercial taxi- 

 dermists usually using the preceding, while museum 

 taxidermists, having more time at their command, 

 use the follwoing which unquestionably is the best. 



Skinning 



The opening cut is made fro.n between the fore 

 legs to the anus ; another cut across the breast down 

 the inside of each fore leg to the ankle joint; a 

 third cut is made across the abdomen and down the 

 inside of each hind leg. The skinning is then pro- 

 ceeded with as before, but the legs are skinned way 

 down to the last joint and the bones dislocated and 

 taken out. If the tail can be pulled out as described 

 in the foregoing instructions, do so, but most ani- 

 mals that are mounted in this way require that the 

 tail be split the whole length on the underside be- 

 fore it can be skinned. 



The ears should also be skinned, out, that is, the 

 skin on the back of the ear sliould be separated 





