BULLETIN 39, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. [8] 



care is necessary in inserting a wrapped tail wire. If the wrapping is 

 too dense aud thick it may stretch or break the tail. If it is not suffi- 

 ciently firm it may tear and leave the tail collapsed and unfilled at the 

 base or near the middle. 



12. Tie skin label securely to one hind leg close above the heel. 

 Allow it enough play so that both back and front may be readily exam- 

 ined, but not enough to tangle «ith the labels of other specimens. 



13. Now arrange the leg wires neatly, so that the legs will be held 

 parallel with the body. The front feet are to be brought close to the 

 sides of the neck, and the hind feet stretched out backward alongside 

 the tail. Fill in with bits of cotton to shape the thighs, rump, and 

 shoulders to their natural form. Lay the end of the tail wire along the 

 middle of the artificial body, aud over it (the skin lying on its back) 

 place a sheet of cotton thick enough to fill out the belly without stretch- 

 ing it. Tuck the edges of this layer of cotton under the edges of the 

 cut in the skin, so that all lies smooth. Arrange the cotton in the head, 

 and staighten the skin about the eyes. Sew up the cut in the belly and 

 take a stitch in the lips to hold the mouth shut. (This may be done 

 before the skin is turned right side out, but it is often convenient to 

 have the mouth ojoen during the final shaping of the head.) 



Do not force in all the stuffing that a sldn will hold. 

 Do not leave a sJcin half filled and covered loith wrinkles, 

 A properly made skin should give essentially the same measurements 

 as those taken from the fresh specimen. Small skins should be filled 

 out to the natural form of the animal, but those as large as a skunk or 

 woodchuck should be flattened so that their greatest dejith is not more 

 than 2 inches (50 mm.). For this purpose a flat weight may be placed 

 upon them while drying. 



14. Lay the skin back upon a flat board to dry. Pin all four feet 

 soles dotvn, as shown in the illustration. If the tail does not lie in the 

 proper position it may be held in place by pins driven into the board 

 beside it, crossing one another just over the back of the tail. Use the 

 smallest possible pins. 



The final shaping is to be given as the skin is pinned down. See 

 that the feet do not project at the sides beyond the line of the body. 

 Also make the sides of the body parallel, so that the thighs are not 

 broader than the shoulders. 



15. When the skin is pinned down lay it away to dry.' i^BVER dry 



A SKIN IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT OR BY ARTIFICIAL HEAT. An exception 



to this rule must be made in very damp climates. Here, however, the 

 artificial heat employed should be as slight as possible. A swinging 

 shelf hung near the ceiling of the room in which cooking is done will be 

 found a convenient place for drying skins in damp, tropical countries. 

 In hot climates skins must always be dried where there is a free circu- 

 lation of air, otherwise they will probably spoil. 



As soon as the skin is thoroughly dry remove it from the drying 

 board, and the preparation of the specimen is completed. Specimens 



