KELAXING AND CLEANING SKINS. 201 



ment), sufSciently large for liis needs. This tank sliould be 

 *'tongued" and dressed witTi red lead, or lined with, zinc, to 

 render it waterproof. Of course, the professional will not 

 find it large enough for anything but medium-sized skins; 

 for the larger ones, and for mammals, he will require other 

 and larger tanks. A petroleum cask (procurable from any oil- 

 man for a few shillings), cut unequally in two parts, will be 

 found of service when one large skin only is soaked at a time. 

 When the skin is in the water, a board may be placed upon it, 

 weighted so as not to flatten against the bottom of the vessel, 

 or it may be kept in position under the water by pressing 

 thin slips of wood over from side to side. The skin being 

 well saturated — which, according to the size of the bird, will 

 take place in from twelve to twenty-four hours — must have 

 the stuffing removed from it,* and then be allowed to soak 

 for so long a time as experience will dictate. As a rule, how- 

 ever, when the wings and tail will spread out with gentle 

 handling, the bird is fit to mount. Sometimes the legs, if thick, 

 and even the wings and tail, if large, will require a longer time 

 to soak than is conducive to the well-being of the remainder of 

 the skin ; in this case, nothing remains but to skilfully pull off 

 the wings, legs, and tail, and let them soak a few hours 

 longer .f Supposing, however, that the skin is properly relaxed 

 without recourse to this, it must then be hung up by a wire 

 secured through the nostrils, in order to drain the water out 

 of it. After hanging a few hours (or many, if large) it is, when 

 all the water has drained away from it, but while yet damp, 

 carefully wiped down in everij part with benzoline, applied 

 liberally, but from head to tail, the way of the feathers ; this 

 is important. The skin may now be placed in a long shallow 

 box, called the dry plaster box, and all the feathers well covered 

 above and below with common dry plaster of Paris, and the 

 skin allowed to be buried in it for three or four hours, then 

 the damp caked plaster may be shaken off and fresh dry 

 plaster added, allowing it to remain for several more hours. 



* This should not be attempted before the skin is properly soaked, otherwisa the cotton 

 •wool, or ■«-hatever it may be stuffed with, will "stick," and frequently puU the head, &c. 

 off with it. 



t This would seem to an amateur very rough treatment, but often it is the only method 

 to pursue, especially if the skin be "tender," although in the latterca.se vin?gar is recom- 

 lueaded to be added to the water in which it is steeped. 



o2 



