4 
tion iu skinning around the eyes and lips, which parts are easily cut- 
Skin as far down on the feet as possible, but leave in the bones of the 
legs. Eeuiove the bone from the tail by pulling it between the fingers 
(in the larger species a split stick answers well). Take out the skull, 
being careful not to cut or iujure it in any way, and wash out the brains 
by means of a syringe or jet of water. Eemove the tongue, and cut off 
the thick flesh from the sides and base of the skull. Tie a tag to the 
skull, bearing the same number that is attached to the skin, and dry 
iu the shade. In damp weather it is sometimes necessary to use pow- 
dered borax to prevent the remaining flesh from decomposing. Never 
put arsenic or salt on a skull. 
Remove all fat and tags of flesh that adhere to the skin. In cleaning 
off blood or dirt that may have soiled the hair, an old tooth-brush and a 
liberal supply of corn-meal will be found serviceable. 
Poison all parts of the skin with dry arsenic (or, better still, with a 
mixture of powdered arsenic and alum in the proportion of four parts 
arsenic to one part alum), being particular to put an extra supply in the 
feet and tail. Put a wire in the body, letting it extend to the extreme 
tip of the tail, but be careful not to stretch the tail. Use annealed iron 
wire of as large size as will fit easily into the tip end of the tail. In 
rabbits, foxes, and wild-cats put wires in the legs also. 
Stuff' the skin to nearly its natural size with cotton or tow (never use 
wool, feathers, or other animal substances) j sew it up along the belly, 
and place it flat on a board to dry (belly down), with the fore legs 'ex- 
tended in front and parallel to the body (i. e., not projecting out side- 
ways), and the hind legs and tail directed backward. The accompany- 
ing cut (Fig. 1) shows the appearance of a well-made skin. 
Attach to each skin a label bearing the same number that is given 
the skull. On this label should be stated the sex, locality, date of 
capture (name of month should always be written in full), and name of 
collector. 
All skins should be thoroughly dry before they are packed for ship- 
ment. They should be carefully wrapped in cotton and packed in small 
wooden boxes. Gigar-boxes do very well for the smaller species. 
Washington, D. C, 2Iarch, 1889. 
