SKINNING. 11 



each of these is sharpened with a file, in a triangular shape, so 

 that it may the more easily penetrate the parts. At the blunt 

 end of the longest piece a ring is formed, large enough to admit 

 of the point of a finger entering it ; this is done by bending the 

 wire back on itself a turn and a half, by the assistance of the 

 round pincers. On the same wire another ring is formed in a 

 similar manner, consisting of one entire turn, and so situated as 

 to reach just between the animal's shoulders. The remaining 

 part of this wire should "be perfectly straight, and triangularly 

 pointed at the exremity. 



Another method of forming the supporting wires, as practised 

 by M. Nichols, is to take a central wire, which must be the length 

 of the head, neck, body and tail of the Cat, as in fig. 1, that is, 

 from a to b y but the tail at b is shorten^ owing to want of room 

 in the plate ; two other pieces are then taken and twisted round 

 the centre piece, in the manner represented in fig. 1, c, d, e, /, 

 these extremities being left for the leg wires. After the wires are 



' thus twisted together, the central one is pulled out ; and the feet 

 wires* of one side are pushed through the legs of one side from the 

 inside of the skin, and the other two leg pieces are bent and also 

 forced through the legs, and afterwards made straight by a pair 

 of pincers ; the centre piece, having been previously sharpened at 

 one end with a file, is now forced through the forehead and down 

 the neck, till it enter the centre of the twisted leg wires which it 

 formerly occupied, and pushed forward to the extremity of the 

 tail, leaving a small piece projecting out of the forehead, as re- 

 presented in fig. 1. After which, the completion of the stuffing 

 is proceeded with. 



This mode is unnecessary for the smaller animals, and it 

 should only be adopted for quadrupeds the size of Deer, &c. 

 These wires are besides much more difficult to insert by this than 

 by the other method. 



All the wires being adjusted, the operation of stuffing is next 

 proceeded with. The skin of the Cat is now extended on a table ; 

 and the end of the noose seized with the left hand, and pushed 

 again into the skin, till it reaches the neck, when we receive the 

 bones of the head into the right hand. The skull is now well 



t rubbed over with the arsenical soap, and all the cavities which 

 the muscles before occupied, are filled with chopped tow, flax, or 



