64 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



tail of any animal up to the size of a squirrel. For draw- 

 ing the tails of large animals, wood-clamps are necessary. 

 The clamp consists of two strips of board, fastened to- 

 gether with a hinge at the extremities, shutting evenly, 

 and haying rounded ends for handles. Holes of gradu- 

 ated sizes are made in the same manner as semi-circular 

 holes, in each half of the tail-clamp, which, when open, 

 can be closed around, to fit any sized tail, and it can be 

 easily stripped. 



The tails of the porcupine, beaver, otter, and muskrat, 

 resist all force, and must be split from the under side, 

 carefully skinned, and well primed with preservatives. 

 Tails that are drawn should have preservatives in- 

 serted with a wire or piece of cane through their entire 

 length. Unmounted skins need much care to prevent 

 the attacks of insects, especially from the Skin Beetles 

 (Dermestes), the collector's worst enemies ; these scent 

 the skins from afar, and fly directly to them at night. 

 There is a large Dermestes on the Northern plains which 

 has a remarkably keen scent, and is almost as numerous 

 as mosquitoes on the salt marshes of the East. I have 

 had them strike the scent of a bag of ducks I had killed 

 on the Milk River, and, when on wing, turn short about 

 and come straight for their blood. As far as the eye 

 could reach, a line of them was seen pressing onward 

 against a strong wind, toward the dead birds, which 

 they soon covered, and attacked with unwonted voracity. 



The common Eastern species is at work during nearly 

 the entire year, though it does the most mischief in the 

 months of May and June. Beat your skins often with a 

 rattan, and the beetles will fall on the ground, when 

 they can be destroyed before their eggs are deposited. A 

 related beetle (Anthrenus) causes great destruction to 

 carpets, is known by the absurd name of "Buffalo Moth." 



