BULLETIN 39, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. [12] 



The above directious apply chiefly to small and medium sized speci- 

 mens wbicb can be accommodated whole in an ordinary collector's out- 

 fit. He will occasionally, however, come across large specimens, which 

 have to be treated in a different way. 



Crocodiles, alligators, and very large lizards may be skinned in the 

 same manner as indicated for large mammals, only that no attempt is 

 made at removing much less mutilating the skull. The crocodiles and 

 alligators may be dried or salted, while the lizard skins are better 

 placed in alcohol, in which case the entire head and the limbs are left 

 in the skin. 



Snakes too large to be preserved in alcohol should be skinned in very 

 much the same manner. After having noted the total length of the 

 specimen carefully in the note book make a longitudinal section along 

 the middle line of the entire underside from a little behind the head to 

 a few scales from the anal opening, taking great care not to injure the 

 last scale in front of the vent. The skin is now removed from the body 

 by gradually loosening it on each side from the cut toward the median 

 line of the back. The body is cut off behind the skull, and a little in 

 front of the anal opening, and the tail, like the head, left in the skin. 

 Properly labeled, the skin is then placed in alcohol. 



For skinning chelonians the old " Smithsonian Directions" (Misc. Coll. 

 34) contain the following : 



Turtles and tortoises are more difficult to prepare in this way, although their skin ■ 

 niug can be done quite rapidly. "The breastplate must be separated by a knife or 

 s iw from the back, and, when the viscera and fleshy parts have been removed, re- 

 stored to its position. The skin of the head and neck must be turned inside out as 

 far as the head, and the vertebrjB and flesh of the neck should be detached from the 

 head, which, after being freed from the flesh, the brain, and the tongue, may be pre- 

 served with the skin of the neck. In skinning the legs and the tail, the skin must 

 be turned inside out, and the flesh having been removed fi'om the bones, they are to 

 be returned to their places by redrawing the skin over them, first winding a little 

 cotton or tow around the bones to prevent the skin adhering to them when it dries." — 

 EiCHABD Owen. 



Another way of preparing these reptiles is as follows : Make two incisions, one from 

 the anterior end of the breastplate to the symphysis of the lower jaw, and another 

 from the posterior end of the breastplate to the vent or tip of the tail ; skin off these 

 regions and remove all fleshy parts and viscera without touching the breastplate it- 

 self; apply the preservative, stutf, and sew up again both incisions. 



TRANSPORTING. 



The collector should make it a point to transmit his specimens to the 

 museum as soon and as often as possible, and not allow them to accu- 

 mulate on his hands when in the field. 



If he is within reach of a United States post-of&ce the question of 

 transportation is a comparatively easy one. His sjDecimens after an 

 immersion in alcohol of one to two weeks duration, according to size, 

 will be found hardened, and once in this condition they will stand trans- 

 portation in a nearly dry state for considerable time. 



A cigar box, an old tomato can, or better still, an empty baking- 



