206 Guide to Taxidermy 



Saws 



Of course every home or shop should have an 

 ordinary hand saw. A taxidermist should have a 

 meat saw for cutting through skulls of large ani- 

 mals and a hack saw for sawing off iron rods for 

 mounting large animals. If your work is confined 

 to birds you will need only the hand, wood saw. 



Salt 



Common table salt is used for preserving skins 

 after they have been removed from the animal and 

 well cleaned. If well rubbed with salt and dried 

 they will keep indefinitely and can be mounted at 

 any time. 



Salt and Alum Picklind Bath 



This bath is used by most taxidermists for pick- 

 ing deer heads and keeping them soft until ready 

 for mounting. 



It is made as follows: To every gallon of boil- 

 ing water add 3 ounces of alum and eight ounces of 

 table salt. Stir until the ingredients are entirely 

 dissolved then allow it to cool and put in large 

 earthen jars, or if you have a large number of 

 skins, in a lead-lined wooden tank. It should be 

 kept covered as it loses its strength if exposed to 

 the air. Skins kept in this will be in condition to 

 mount at any time, even years after they were 

 taken. 



