[7] PREPARATION OF ROUGH SKELETONS LUCAS. 



The pelvic bones are so small and so deeply imbedded in the flesh that 

 the3^ are only too often thrown away. 

 The accompanying cats show their lo- 

 cation and their average size in a speci- 

 men 7 or 8 feet long. 



It often happens that the last rib lies 

 loose in the flesh, with its upper end 

 several inches from the backbone^ 

 This shonld always be looked for. 



There are uo bones in the sides of the 

 tail or flukes nor in the back fin, and 

 they can be cut off close to the body 

 and thrown away. 



The hyoid is largely developed in 

 most cetaceans, and will be found 

 firmly attached to the base of the 

 skull. 



Fig. 5.— Fiill-sizeil pelvic bone of a Por- 



poise (Tursiojis). 



BIRDS. 



In preparing a bird for a skeleton a little more care must be used 

 than is necessary with a quadruped, the bones being lighter and more 

 easily cut or broken. 



The wings terminate in very small, pointed bones, and there is a 

 similar bone — corresponding to the thumb of mammals — hidden in a 

 tuft of feathers on the bend of the wing. 



Pig. G.— Portion of right wing of Great Horned Owl, seen from below. R, Radius ; U, TJlna: /, II, 

 III, First, second, and third lingers ; s, Kadialo ; c, Ulnare ; osp, Os proiuiuens. 



It is a good plan to leave this tuft untouched, as well as the outer- 

 most two or three wing feathers, so as to lessen the risk of removing 

 any of these little bones with the skin. 



Other parts requiriug special attention are the slender points on the 

 under side of the neck vertebrae, those projecting backward from the 

 ribs, and the last bone of the tail. 



It frequently occurs in birds that many of the tendons l)ecome ossi- 

 fied, as they do in the leg of a turkey. Look out for such on the under 

 side of the neck, in the legs and wings, and along the sides of the back, 

 and do not tear otf the muscles as you would if preparing a skin. 



In many, possibly most birds, the neck and back can be left un- 

 touched, as the muscles will dry up and a thin coat of arsenical soap 



