MAMMAL SKINS FOR STUDY AND MOUNTING. 669 



out, packing ifc in salt, and shipping it in that condition as soon as 

 possible. Abetter method, or rather the best of all methods for any 

 climate and all kinds of skins, is to prepare a solution of salt and alum 

 in water in the following proportions : For every gallon of water put in 

 one pint of alum (three-fourths of a pound) and one quart of salt (one 

 pound and three-fourths), stir it up, and heat it to the boiling point. 

 Pour it into a wooden or earthen vessel, and when cool, or milk warm, 

 it is ready for use. Plunge a skin into this bath and move it about until 

 the solution reaches every part. Give a fresh skin plenty of room for 

 the first day or two, and if it be a large one move it about every day 

 for three days so that the solution can act with full force on every part. 



Fresh skins of all kinds may be placed in this bath (leg-bones of 

 small skins may also be left attached) and allowed to remain in it for 

 months without deteriorating in any way ; even after five years they are 

 still as soft and pliable as when first taken off. The skulls should inva- 

 riably be detached from the skins and dried. Small skins may be shipped 

 in glass jars or wooden kegs, and large ones in barrels. 



If you have alcohol sufficiently strong (30° above proof), skins may be 

 immersed in it as fast as collected, instead of in the salt aud alum solu- 

 tion. The objections to alcohol are that it loses strength very rapidly 

 when receiving daily accessions of fresh skins, bleaches hair, aud must 

 be renewed from time to time until the collection is finally packed iu 

 fresh alcohol and shipped. 



In an arctic climate. — As before stated, the salt-and-aluin solution is 

 the best icet preservative for skins in all climates, and for all objects from 

 the largest elephant, seal, walrus, or polar bear, down to the smallest 

 bat of the tropics. If it is impossible or impracticable to employ it, the 

 skins of all large arctic mammals may be successfully preserved by im- 

 mersing them in very strong brine, but it should be renewed at least once 

 or twice. The skins of seals and small mammals may be simply packed 

 in salt. Care should be taken that skins are not stained with iron- 

 rust derived from nails projecting into the barrels or other receptacles 

 in which they are placed. 



In a tropical climate. — Skins can not be preserved with salt in a tropi- 

 cal climate, but must be immersed either in the salt and-alum solution, 

 or alcohol, or else dried. 



SPECIMENS IN THE FLESH. 



The most valuable of all specimens which come to us are those sent in 

 the flesh. A rare animal so received is sometimes cast in plaster, skinned, 

 dissected, and skeletonized ; and portions of the viscera may be pre- 

 served in spirits for anatomical study. In this way a single subject is 

 often made to yield a number of valuable preparations. The Institu- 

 tion will be very glad to receive the dead body of any foreign animal 

 which may die in the eastern United States, and also of any rare or 

 especially fine North American species. 



