48 THE NATURALIST’S GUIDE 
down towards the head, until the forelegs appear; sever 
these at the knee-joint, and clean the bone as before. Draw 
the skin over the head, cutting off the ears close to. the 
skull. Use caution in cutting the skin from the eyelids 
and in severing the lips from the skull, so as not to in- 
jure their outward appearance. The skull is to be detached 
entirely. Cover the inside of the skin well with arsenic, 
and, if large, rub it in well with the hand; but be sure 
that every part is poisoned. 
If there is any blood upon the cs after the skin is 
turned into its former position, if it is dry, remove it with 
the stiff brush; if wet or very bloody, wash and dry with 
plaster, as explained 4 in birds. 
. Wind the leg-bones with sufficient eon er cotton to 
supply the place of the muscles; then fill out the head, 
neck, and the rest of the body to their natural size. Sew 
up the orifice through which the body was removed neatly 
over and over, drawing the edges of the skin together 
nicely. 
Label the skin by sewing a bit. of card-board upon one 
of the feet, or, if the animal is large, upon‘the ear,’ with 
the number of the specimen and the sex marked upon it. 
Clean the skull as much as possible with the scalpel ; if 
it is a large animal, the brains may be removed through 
the orifice where the spinal cord enters the skull. If this 
opening is not large enough to remove them, they should 
be left in. Roll the skull in arsenic, then label it with a 
number corresponding to the one upon the skin, and lay 
it by for future cleaning. The arsenic prevents insects 
from attacking it. é 
Place the skin, if a small one, upon its side, with the , 
legs bent neatly:; if a large one, upon its breast, with the 
legs stretched out on each side, the forelegs pointing for- 
ward, the hind ones backward. This is what;is ce 
called a “ mammal’s skin.” 
