Guide to Taxidermy 



167 



CHAP. 7--Reptiles 



Most persons have a horror of snakes. This dis- 

 like also is common among 'many taxidermists, a 

 great many of whom will refuse to mount one, 

 either because they do not know how or are afraid 

 to. With few exceptions, snakes are about as harm- 

 less creatures as we have. If one will lose sight of 

 the fact that they are just "snakes" he will soon 

 see that there are a great many beautiful species. 

 The mounting of them is difficult but they make a 

 very interesting collection. 



Skinning 



A snake skins very easily; in fact, it is much 

 easier to skin a snake than it is to kill it. Snakes, 

 that is the majority of them, are useful creatures YwVA(^ Sw<n\S.G.. 

 so do not kill one unless you have use for it, and 

 then do not smash its head with a club or rock. 

 Catch your snake by pinning it to the ground with 

 a stick so that you can grasp it by the neck with 

 the left hand; then kill it by forcing the blade of 



