196 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



Possibly tlie species of mammal treated m.ay liave sometliing 

 to do witL. this, tlie skins of carnivorous animals bearing ex- 

 posure better tlian tliose of tbe rodentia — hares, rabbits, squirrels, 

 <fec., and insectivora — ^bats, shrew-mice, and moles — indeed, the 

 latter animals must be skinned almost as soon as they are dead, 

 or the skin turns " green " and goes bad in a very short time. 

 No doubt the vegetable and insect food consumed by these cause 

 fermentation after death, with the resultant putrefaction of the 

 bowels and the thin coverings of the latter. I would here point 

 out, however, that small skins — cats', rabbits', &c. — will be per- 

 fectly preserved if stretched out whilst fresh, cured with the 

 chloride of lime preservative (No. 4, page 68), and then finally 

 treated with lard and essence of musk, and finished off by either 

 of the preceding methods to render them clean and supple. A 

 correspondent who had treated some cats' skins by this method 

 writes to say he has " succeeded in curing some cats' skins in an 

 admirable manner " by following these instructions. 



A very convenient mixture of borax and another natural 

 salt has been brought out by Mr. Robottom, of Birmingham 

 (see page 6). I have given his preparation a long and patient 

 investigation, and can recommend it for small skins, while its 

 convenient form, cleanliness, and low price, place it within the 

 reach of all amateurs. 



Equal parts of salt, alum, and Glauber's salts, mixed with half 

 a part of saltpetre, the whole rubbed in several times a day, has 

 loeen recommended, but I have not tried it. 



A mixture of sulphur and arsenic with soft soap is sometimes 

 used to dress skins with, and if left on for about a year certainly 

 renders them very pliant, after the removal of the grease. 



The North American Indians, I believe, smoke their deer 

 skins, SiC, and after working them, use brains to dress them 

 with. 



The skins of mammals in the flesh may, if bloody, be washed, 

 should the blood be new, or combed with the scratch card (see 

 ante) if it has dried on the hair or fur. In old skins washing is 

 effective when the animal is relaxed. Freshly skinned deer and 

 bulls' heads should always be washed and combed, and wrung 

 out before having the preservative applied. 



Mammals' fur is also considerably improved in tone by being 



