BULLETIN 39, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



[4] 



Do not use wire of any kind to fasteu tin or lead numbers to speci- 

 mens that are to go in alcohol or brine, for this sets up a galvanic action 

 which results disastrously. 



SELECTION OF SPECIMENS — FKACTUEES. 



Where time allows, select a series of skeletons of different ages ; but 

 where only one skeleton can be prepared, choose a fully grown, adult 

 animal, as free as possible from fractures. If an animal is shot or 

 trapped it is impossible to avoid breaking some bones, and such must 

 be allowed to pass, but where it has been beaten to death, fracturing 

 the skull and limb bones generally, the animal had better be thrown 

 away at once. 



If the skull alone is broken, select if possible another of the same 

 size and send both with the body. When convenient seiid with a broken 

 leg or wing another of the same size, but on no account throw away the 

 fractured limb. 



Do not neglect any animal simply because it is common, for a com- 

 mon species may be anatomically important. 



TOOLS. 



A knife and a pair of scissors are all that are ab- 

 solutely necessary, but if these can be supplemented 

 by one or two steel scrapers, the work will be greatly 

 facilitated. 



"RouaniNG out" — mammals. 



If an animal is rare, the skin should be very care- 

 fully taken off and preserved; otherwise, remove 

 the skin roughly and disembowel the specimen, tak- 

 ing care not to cut into the breastbone, especially 

 the disk-shaped piece of cartilage in which it ends. 

 Animals destined for skeletons should on no account 

 be split up the breast as though they were being 

 dressed for market. 



Detach the legs from the body and remove the 

 flesh, taking care in so doing not to remove the col- 

 lar bone or kneepan with the meat. In the cat 

 family the collar bone is very small, and lies loose in 

 flesh between the shoulder blade and front end the 

 of breastbone. The collar bone of weasels is very 

 minute and difficult to find, while, on the other hand, 

 climbing and burrowing animals usually have this 

 bone well develoijed, uniting the shoulderblade 

 with the breastbone. 



Deer, antelopes, bears, and geals have no collar 

 bone, 



"Fid. l.«-Skeleton, of 



