132 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



eye a bony ridge, running backward to the base of the skull. 

 Surrounding this is a pad of flesh, which hides the attachment 

 of the lower jaw with the iipper. By digging underneath with 

 the point of the knife you remove all this flesh, taking care, 

 however, not to cut the attachments of the skin close by, which 

 you previously left, nor the ligaments which hold the upper to 

 the lower jaw. Both sides being served in the same manner, the 

 skull presents a tolerably clean appearance. 



The ears are now nearest to the operator. (You will recollect 

 they have been cut off inside). All you can see of them, 

 however, are two shapeless masses of gristle surrounding a 

 small hole. On the sides of each — farthest from the head — you 

 must begin cautiously skinning, and by pushing your left hand 

 through the aperture of the skin of the body, assist this with 

 your finger and thumb, pushed into the ear from the outside, 

 until by skilfully working with the knife and left-hand fingers 

 you turn the inside skin of each ear to its very edge and tip, 

 until, in fact, each stands up inside the skin, completely 

 reversed. 



The next thing which engages your attention is the near fore 

 leg, which you skin as far as you can go, in this instance to the 

 next joint, the one above the carpus or wrist joint. Repeat this 

 with all the limbs, in each case removing all the flesh from the 

 two bones (the radius and ulna of the fore limbs and the tibia 

 and fibula of the hind), which together form those parts of the 

 bones you leave in. If not done previously, now is the time to 

 remove the tail bone. Finally, rub every part of the skin on 

 its inside, as also all the bones left in, with the preservative 

 recommended for mammals (No. 9), not forgetting to push some 

 up the hollow of the brush where the tail bone has been. 



Tm-n your fox's skin completely inside out, skull, leg bones 

 and all, until it comes to its normal position. Commence now 

 from the pad of each foot, and make an incision from near the 

 toes to the point where you left off. Skin round carefully and 

 as much underneath as possible, so as to expose all the flesh and 

 sinews, which clear from off the bone. Be sure to push your 

 knife well round on the top of the bones, which you may do 

 by feeling with the knife and keeping the pad uppermost. This 

 is for the purpose of freeing the attachment of skin all round, 



