SKINNING AND PRESERVING MAMMALS. 147 



and tlie artificial tail run up the skin before the legs are 

 attached. 



The extreme stability of the foregoing system is obvious, 

 as the " backbone " completely supports the weight of the skin 

 and head, while the leg rods support this in their turn. 



Wood of suitable thickness must be used to mount the animal 

 on while drying, and the leg rods, if too strong to clench 

 through on the under side, may be screwed and "nuts" attached. 



For the very largest animals, such as the elephant, a some- 

 what different system would be adopted; a model in parts 

 would be made, fitted together, and the skin stretched over. 

 A very interesting account of the method adopted many years 

 ago in the French capital is here appended : 



The corpse of the elephant having been extended upon the ground 

 facilitated our taking and writing all its dimensions ; the thickness 

 was taken by a sort of rule, which M. Lassaigne, cabinet maker of 

 the museum of Paris, invented at the time. This instrument is the 

 rule used by shoemakers on a large scale. The curves of the back, 

 the belly, &c., were taken by bars of lead, fin. thick. This metal, 

 not having any elasticity, accommodated or bent itself to the curves 

 we wished to measure and preserved the measurements until wanted. 

 M. Desmoulins drew the animal on one of the sides of the wall 

 according to all these measurements, in the workshop where the model 

 was to be constructed, in its natural size. This done, we proceeded 

 to the skinning of the elephant, which we were only able to place 

 upon its back by four corded pulleys fastened to the platform. In 

 this position we made an incision in the form of a double cross; the 

 middle line went from the mouth to the anus, the two others were 

 directed from each left foot to the opposite right foot ; the tail and 

 trunk were opened underneath longitudinally. We scooped out the 

 soles of the feet within an inch of their edge, that the nails might 

 remain in the skin ; to effect this we were obliged to employ the 

 chisel and mallet. This operation was very difficult. 



After four days' labour of several persons we separated the skin 

 from the body ; it then weighed 5761b. We extended it on the ground 

 to take away the cutaneous muscles which adhered to its interior — 

 particularly to the head. In this state the skin was placed in a 

 large tub ; we spread a considerable quantity of pounded alum in all 

 its folds. We then boiled some water with such quantities of alum 

 that some pieces still remained at the bottom of the boiler — that is, 



