Guide to Taxidermy 



139 



CHAP. 5--Taniim^ Skins 



Every taxidermist has to know liow to make 

 rugs, tan skins for boas, muffs, etc. For home dec- 

 oration, where one fox is mounted probably twenty 

 will be made into rugs and the proportion of larger 

 animals is even greater. The tanning of bear, dear 

 and coon skins by hand is a laborious undertaking, 

 but it can be done and done well. However we 

 should advise anyone having large work to send it 

 to a professional tanner, who has the proper ma- 

 chinery for breaking up the fibre. 



We will first describe the tanning of a fox skin 

 and the making it into a rug. Other animals are 

 done in just the same way, the only difference be- 

 ing in the amount of work necessary to make the 

 skin soft and pliable. 



Preparing a Skin ior Tanning 



Your fox may be freshly killed or, as most often 

 happens, it may be sent to you skinned and dried. 

 In the latter case, it should be split up the middle 

 of the belly to the chin, and across on the inside of 

 each foreleg to the toes. Then immerse it, tail and 



SWNefeS, Sw ^Wv«\^% 



