NON-POISONOUS PRESERVATIVES 75 



Some years ago, the writer was fortunate enough to stumble 

 upon burnt alum, which is unaffected by heat or damp, as a 

 substitute for the more than useless crude alum, and the follow- 

 ing preparation has been of the greatest service to thousands, 

 both abroad and at home, who have had occasion to " cure " 

 the skins of mammals. It perfectly fixes the hair to the skin, 

 even when first applied, and afterwards nothing can disturb 

 the hair, which is tightened in an extraordinary manner. It 

 is also perfectly staunch under the severest test of relaxing, 

 and is altogether to be relied upon, as is testified by the many 

 letters received upon the subject. 



.59. — Preservative for Mammals (M.B.) 



Alum (burnt) . . . . .4 parts 



Saltpetre ..... i part 



It should be well rubbed into the skin, inside and out, 

 particularly upon the eyelids, nose, lips, ears, and so on, and 

 may be applied before skinning the specimen, should this not 

 be so fresh as could be desired. A mixture made of the 

 above proportions, with the addition of hot water and a little 

 bichromate of potassa, makes a very fine bath in which to 

 plunge a thick or slightly tainted skin. 



Notwithstanding the almost universal approbation which 

 this simple preservative has evoked, and in spite of the fact 

 that it has been copied (usually without acknowledgment) in 

 the pages of many treatises on taxidermy, correspondents 

 often write complaining of efflorescence or mould appearing 

 upon the skins cured by its means. The answers to these 

 are, that mildew forms — (i) if the skins are not perfectly 

 freed from fat ; (2) if the specimen is cased before having 

 been properly dried ; or (3) if the case rests against a damp 

 wall or is in a thoroughly damp situation, which would 

 be quite sufficient to ruin anything else. In the first event. 



