143 



When the skin is removed, it must be pinned out with 

 the inner surface upwards on a board with a pin at every 

 S or 4 ventrals, taking care to stretch the skin as evenly as 

 possible ; the subcutaneous and fatty tissue must then be 

 removed if the snake be at all of large size. The best way 

 to do this is to scrape from the cut edges of the ventral 

 shield towards the median line. When this is done, the 

 whole surface must be brushed over with a preservative 

 solution made by dissolving about half an ounce of corrosive 

 sublimate in a reputed pint bottle of spiiit.* 



This wiU coagulate any remaining subcutaneous tissues, 

 and will eflFectually preserve the skin against the attacks of 

 rats or insects. Do not get any on your nails, as it dyes 

 them a brown colour. Then complete the pinning out of 

 the skin with a pin to every one or two ventrals, according 

 to size, and let it dry in-doors until next day ; it may then 

 be taken off the board and transferred to the collection. 

 Small thin skins may be gummed on to large sheets of 

 paper, the others are best kept between two boards, as they 

 otherwise curl up in the hot weather. 



If it be desired to preserve the skeleton of a snake there 

 is no alternative between laboriously dissecting away all 

 the soft parts and obtaining the bones clean, but separate, 

 by means of maceration. A.fter the skin, inside, and greater 

 part of the muscle has been removed, the snake should 



* Corrosive sublimate (bichloride of mercury) being often required 

 for these purposes, I may mention that it is procurable in the drug 

 bazaars under the name (TamU) of Shairirum. In Hindustani, the 

 name is stated to be Rashapur (meaning mercurial camphpr) ; but 

 this name is frequently and more properly applied to a sulphate of 

 mercury. This substance is insoluble in spirit, and water changes it 

 into the insoluble yellow subsulphate {turpethum minerale) ; this 

 raskapur would have to be sublimed with common salt to change it 

 into bichloride of mercury. I have known many persons disappointed 

 at getting this substance when they wanted corrosive sublimate. 



