Country Hides and Skins. 21 
draw the knife slantingly back to the union of the fore leg and body 
and continue the cut down the leg to meet that made when skinning 
the latter. The same is done for the hind legs, starting at the center 
about 0 inches from the tail and cutting upward to the back of the 
legs so as to connect with the cut previously made. While the animal 
is still down, skin over the buttocks and rump as shown in figures 24 
and 25. 
Insert the spreader or gambrel in the hind legs and raise the 
animal to the half hoist so that its shoulder-- are resting on the floor. 
The next operation 
is that of removing 
the tail bone, which 
is done by ripping 
the hide down the 
underside of the 
tail to the tip or 
brush. Cut the tail 
bone off from the 
body and pull it off 
the hide, being sure 
to remove the entire 
bone. For removing 
the tail bone a de- 
vice known as a tail 
puller is often used. 
It consists essen- 
tially of an iron 
hook with jaws 
which tighten their 
grip when pulled on. 
When using this 
apparatus, the hook Fig. 22.— A hide of good pattern and trim. 
is slipped over the 
gambrel, the hide is split down the underside of the tail, and the tip 
end of the tail bone is worked out and inserted in the jaws. The hide 
is then pulled off the bone by grasping the switch and pulling down- 
ward, after which the hide is skinned carefully away from the base 
of the tail, and the tail bone severed close to the animal's body. 
Take the hide off the hind legs, rump, and round by starting it 
with the knife and then by beating or pounding with the fist, butt of 
the knife handle, or the back of a cleaver, at the same time pulling 
on the hide as illustrated in figure 26. This is the most valuable sec- 
tion of the hide, and it adheres so tightly to the animal that it is 
almost impossible to remove it with a knife without making detri- 
mental cuts and scores. Hammering off is very satisfactory and is a 
sure way to prevent cuts. When clear of the rump and round, the 
