1 64 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



edition, vol. xiv., pp. 381-390; but, as it may be useful to 

 know how such skins as those of deer, rabbits, moles, etc., are 

 dressed, the article upon the making of " calf-kid " (or White 

 Leather) i.e. "Tawing" — is given here (see op. cit., p. 389) : — 



The tawing itself is accomplished in a drum or cylinder the same 

 as the currier's stuffing wheel, into which is introduced for one hun- 

 dred average skins a mixture consisting of 20 lbs. of alum, 9 lbs. salt, 

 40 lbs. flour, 250 eggs (or about i J gallons of egg yolk), f pint of olive 

 oil, and 12 to 16 gallons of water. In this mixture, at a temperature 

 of not more than 100° Fahr., the skins are worked for about forty 

 minutes, by which action the tawing is Completed. After the with- 

 drawal from the drum the skins are allowed to drain, dried rapidly by 

 artificial heat, damped, staked out by drawing them over a blunt steel 

 tool, and then wetted and shaved down on the beam to the required 

 thickness. Next they receive, if necessary, a second treatment with 

 the tawing mixture. 



It would appear by this that the proportions for a small 

 skin would be : — 



Water (warm), a sufficient quantity to mix with the above and to 

 cover the skin. Treat as above directed. 



A variant of the preceding is a recipe given to the writer 

 by a correspondent. He writes : — 



The following is a recipe for " white " dressing of skins, which was 

 given to me by a tanner. In my opinion, it reduces the work to a 

 minimum : Wash the hide clean ; shave or scrape the flesh down thin. 

 (In small skins I find that a good washing does almost as well.) 



