410 
PKtPARATORY STEP FOR STUFF1^G QUADRUPEDS. 
OF SKINNING, PREPARING, AND 
MOUNTING THE MAMMALIA, OR 
QUADRUPEDS. 
OF SKINNING. 
When a quadruped is killed, and its skin 
intended for stuffing, the preparatory steps 
are to lay the animal on its back, and 
plug up its nostrils, mouth, and any 
wounds it may have received, with cotton or 
tow, to prevent the blood from disfiguring 
the skin. A longitudinal incision is then 
made in the lower part of the belly, in front 
of the pubis, and extended from thence to the 
stomach, or higher if necessary, keeping in 
as straight a line as possible, and taking care 
not to penetrate so deep as to cut into the 
abdominal muscles. In some instances, the 
incision is made as high as the collar bone. 
In this operation the hairs must he carefully 
separated to the right and left, and none of 
them cut, if possible. The skin is also turned 
hack to the right and left, putting pads of 
cotton or tow between it and the muscles, as 
the skinning is proceeded with. If any fatty 
or oily substance should be noticed, it must 
be carefully wiped awa 5 ^ The skin being 
removed as far in every direction as the extent 
of the incision will admit of, eacVi of the 
thighs must be separated at its junction with 
the pelvis, that is, by the head or ball of the 
Osfemoris,* or thigh bone. The intestinal 
canal is then cut across, a little way above 
the anus, and then the tail is separated, as 
close to the animal as possible. After this 
the pelvis is pulled out of the skin, and the 
skin separated from the back by inserting 
the handle of the scalpel cutting-knife be- 
tween it and the carcase. It is pulled gradu- 
ally upwards until the operator reaches the 
shoulders. The wdiole hinder parts and 
trunk of the body being thus out of the skin, 
the next operation is to remove the fore- 
legs, by separating them from the body 
at the shoulder-joint, or the base of the Os 
humeri. When the joint of one shoulder has 
been separated from the body, the leg is again 
put into the skin, and the animal then turned 
in order to repeat the same with the other 
side, the limb of which is also returned. The 
skin is then removed from the neck. The 
next thing is to separate the skin from the 
head by the assistance of the scalpel. It is 
taken olf as far as the point of the nose ; 
while great care must be taken not to injure 
the eyelids, and to cut the ears as close 
to the skull as possible ; and also to avoid 
cutting the lips too close. 
All this having been performed, the head 
and trunk of the animal are completely sepa- 
rated from the skin. The next operation is 
to remove the head of the animal from the 
trunk, at the upper bone of the vertebrae. 
The external muscles of the head and face are 
then carefully cut off with a scalpel, and the 
* Those who are unacquainted with the 
names of the difiFerent bones of the skeleton, 
will find a full detail of those of both Quadru- 
peds and Birds in our description of Plate I. 
bones left as free from flesh as possible. 
The occipital bones are next enlarged by 
means of a strong knife, or other instru- 
ment ; and the brain all carefully removed. 
The fore legs are now pulled out of the skin, 
by drawing the legs one way, and the skin 
another, as far as the claws of the foot. All 
the muscles are then cut off the bones, while 
care is taken not to injure the ligaments and 
tendons. They should be left adhering to 
the knee. They are then returned into the 
skin again. The hind legs are treated in the 
same manner. The tail is the last part 
which is skinned, and this is a more difficult 
task than the other parts of the body. Two 
or three of the first joints or vertebrae are 
first laid bare by pulling the skin back ; they 
are then tied firmly with a strong cord, 
which must be attached to a strong nail or 
hook on the wall. A cleft stick is introduced 
between the vertebrae and the skin, the stick 
is then forced to the extremity, and the tail- 
bones come out of their enveloping skin or 
sheath. 
The skeleton head, having been divested 
of all its fleshy matter, tongue, palate, exter- 
nal muscle, and brain, is now returned to 
its place in the skin, which is in a condition 
for commencing the operation of stuffing. — 
Brown. 
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES. 
PLATE I. 
Fig. I. exhibks the skeleton of the Falco P<t~ 
lumbarius, or Goshawk, and shows the man- 
ner in which it is supported by a small iron 
rod ; and also the names of the bones. 
a. Bail of the Ulna. 
b, b, ii. The vertebrae of the neck, or cer- 
vical vertebra. 
^ The Sternum 
e, e.. The Tarsus. 
f, f. -The Fibula. 
g, The Tibia. 
h, h. -The metacarpal bones. 
i, j The Ulna, 
in. - The Pelvis. 
n.-The Os Coccygis. 
q The Clavicle- 
s. -Vertebrae of the back. 
t. The Os Humeri. 
Fig 2 Skeleton of a Horse, showing the 
manner in which it is supported ; and also 
the names of the bones. 
A. The head. 
a. — The posterior maxillary or jaw bone. 
b. The superior maxillary, orupper jaw. 
c. The orbit of the eye. 
d. The nasal bones, or bones of the nose. 
e. The suture, dividing the parietal bones 
below from the occipital bones above. 
f. — The inferior maxillary bone, containing 
the upjier incisors, or cutting teeth. 
B. The seven Cervical Vertebras, or bones 
of the neck. 
C. The eighteen Dorsal Vertebrae, or 
bones of the back. 
D. The six Lumbar Vertebras, or bones of 
the loins. 
E. — The five Sacral Vertebrae, or bones of 
the haunch. 
F. - The Caudal Vertebrae, or bones of the 
tail, the usual number being fifteen ; some- 
times, however, they vary. 
G. — The Scapula, or shoulder blade. 
