276 THE SNAKES OF SOUTH AFRICA. 



the lips, clean off any loose bits of clay, etc., and give the whole 

 skin a coating of gold-size varnish. Place it upon a board prepared 

 for the purpose, and finally put it in a glass cabinet or case. A 

 nice attractive stand can be made by imitating the natural sur- 

 roundings of the snake. 



If you dip the snake's head in a solution of permanganate of 

 potash before beginning to skin it, and during the process, there 

 will be little, if any, danger of getting poisoned. A safer plan 

 when skinning a venomous snake is to make a longitudinal 

 incision in the throat a few inches from the head. Skin round 

 the body, then sever it and skin off the neck and head first. Then 

 remove the body portion of the snake. 



Flat skins may be made by ripping the abdomen from chin 

 to end of tail and removing the body. Rub the preservative 

 mixture on the inner side of the skin and tack it out on a plank, 

 until dry. Then turn it over and give it a coating of gold-size 

 varnish. When quite dry, roll up and put away. 



To make a skin permanently proof against the attacks of moths 

 and mites, steep it for ten minutes or so in methylated spirit, or 

 ordinary alcohol in which a pinch of powdered corrosive sublimate 

 (Bi-chloride of mercury) has been dissolved. It is best to have 

 a stock bottle of it. Take a pint of methylated spirit and put as 

 much powdered corrosive sublimate into it as will lie heaped on 

 a three-penny piece. Shake, and allow to stand for a day. It 

 is then ready for use. Instead of soaking the skin in the solution, 

 it may be painted on with a brush. Be sure that both sides of 

 the skin are well painted. This substance will cure a skin as 

 well as render it insect proof. A presentable skull showing 

 the fangs can be made by boiling it for a minute and carefully 

 picking the meat off with a strong needle or point of a small 

 pen-knife. Instead of this, ants may be allowed to clean it. 



Kafir Superstitions. 



The Kafirs are intensely superstitious. The instinct of 

 reverence when rightly trained, and guided by an educated 

 intellect, strongly impels the individual to be genuinely and 

 truly reverent and religious. It gives a strong desire for, and 

 belief in, continued existence after physical death. 



