230 ANIMAL COMPETITORS 
Preparation of skins. The preparation of 
skins requires some care, but no special imple- 
ments or preservatives. The opening and only 
cut is made with a sharp-pointed knife, begin- 
ning on the bottom of one hind foot and extend- 
ing up to the hind side of the leg to the vent 
and thence down the other leg to the foot. The 
entire body is removed through this opening, 
using the knife to separate the skin when 
necessary, and proceeding down’ over the head 
to the lips, where the final cuts are made. Thus 
the skin is turned completely inside out. The 
tail bone must be carefully withdrawn, prefer- 
ably by the use as a vise of two firmly-held 
sticks (or a split stick), through which the bone 
is passed. To facilitate this it may sometimes 
be necessary to slit the tail on the under-side. 
The skin is then carefully fleshed—that is, all 
the fats and bits of flesh adhering to it are re- 
moved. To dry the skin it is slightly stretched 
on a long, narrow, somewhat tapering board 
with a blunt, rounded end. After slipping 
over the board (hair side in) it should be hung 
in a cool, dry place, and allowed to dry gradu- 
ally. Ordinarily no preservative is necessary, 
