MAKING SKINS OF MAMMALS. 87 



cut through into the exterior surface ; pull down 

 the edges, cut between the lids and eye-sockets 

 down to the lips, cut between these and the bone, 

 but near the latter, thus removing the skin entirely 

 from the skull ; cover the skin well with preserva- 

 tive, after removing all fat and surplus bits of 

 flesh. Then turn the skin, detach the skull from 

 the body, by carefully cutting between the atlas, 

 the last vertebra joint, and the skull. The skull 

 should be boiled to remove all the flesh and brain ; 

 or, if this cannot readily be done, and if the mam- 

 mal be very small, roll it in preservative, and lay it 

 one side ; if the animal be large, cut off all the flesh 

 possible, and work out the brain through the open- 

 ing in the base of the skull. It is always, however, 

 best to remove the flesh by boiling ; after which 

 care should be taken to tie the lower jaw firmly to 

 the upper. 



Section II.: Skinning Large Mammals.— 

 Large mammals should be skinned by making a 

 cross incision down the entire length of the breast, 

 between the fore-legs to the vent, then down the 

 under side of each leg quite to the feet. Remove 

 the skin but leave in two bones and the joints in 

 each leg. In removing the horns of a deer or other 

 ruminant, make cross cuts between the horns, 



