BULLETIN 39, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. [ 10 ] 
Be especially carefal about the heal. . There is a chain of bones en- 
circling the eye, and the eyeball itself is often a bony cup. 
Occasionally there are two or three bones attached to the back part 
of the hinder portion of the head, and the patch of flesh on the cheek 
is about all that can safely be removed. 
When the skeleton is hung up to dry place bits of wood or other ma- 
terial between the gills so that the air may circulate freely and dry them 
rapidly. 
Fishes, small reptiles, and toads and frogs can be best collected by 
placing them in alcohol. 
PACKING. 
First be sure that a skeleton, and esi)ecially a small one, is thoroughly 
dry. Otherwise it is apt to ‘‘ sweat” and rot the ligaments. 
In the case of a large skeleton this would do no harm, but as the bones 
Pig. 12. — Skeleton of Mountain Sheep: A A, places where backbone may be disjointed; E, place 
where cut should be made to separate l ib from breast-bone ; S, sesamoids. 
of small animals are left attached to one another by their ligaments and 
are not wired together, any such separation causes serious injury. 
If the specimen is the size of a deer, it will be necessary to disjoint 
the backbone just behind the ribs in order to make a compact bundle. 
