CHAPTER YI. 



Skinning and Peeserving Mammals. 



The art of setting up quadrupeds in a natural and life-like 

 manner is of so recent a date that few, if any, of the manuals 

 on taxidemiy do more than glance at it. True, they nearly 

 all give directions, in an off-hand way, as to the skinning of 

 mammals ; but their instructions are so vague and meagre 

 that, though confessing that the subject is no easy one to write 

 upon, I yet feel that we may, perhaps, improve, in point of 

 detail, on what has gone before. 



In accordance with my usual custom, I have procured an 

 animal — a fox — to illustrate my instructions, and, the learner 

 having got out the whole of the knives (previously figured) and 

 the whetstone, may proceed to work in the following manner : 



Measure the fox, as a preliminary, taking note of liis length, 

 breadth, and fineness of limb ; length and thickness of muzzle and 

 side of face ; and, having aided the recollection by the use of the 

 callipers, and made all necessary notes, lay him on the skinning 

 table, back downwards, and, separating the fur on the stomach 

 at about two inches from the root of the tail, gently insert the 

 point of the skinning knife (keeping the handle well down) under 

 the skin, and continue the cut to within about ten inches of 

 the chest, between the fore limbs — that is to say, up to the first rib, 

 which may be felt with the finger and thumb. If an ordinary- 

 sized fox, this will allow the cut to be of about the same length, 

 viz., ten inches. Be very careful, in making this incision, to cut 

 the top skin only, and not that which retains the bowels. 



Having done this, commence to clear away the skin from the 

 flesh on one side by using the point of the knife in a slanting 



