65 
Small skulls dry quickly when hung up. When several skulls are being 
cared for at once they may be strung on a cord or wire passed through 
the loops by which the labels are attached, preferably through a special 
loop made by tying together the loose ends of the thread after the label 
is fastened. By keeping the loops short the dangling skulls will not get 
tangled, and any particular skull may be removed without loosening its 
label. The “strings” of skulls will dry rapidly in the sunshine or near a 
fire. Care must be taken that they are not stolen by cats, dogs, rats, or 
birds. 
If there is no time to dry skulls, they may be preserved in alcohol, 
but no alum or formalin should be used, as these retard the cleaning pro- 
cesses. Formalin also decalcifies bones, if they are left in the solution 
for any length of time. When only a few skulls are to be handled, alcoholic 
preservation has some advantages, particularly in preventing loss or 
breakage of small loose skulls. (See also Borell, 1938, cleaning by der- 
mestid beetles.) 
LARGE MAMMALS 
Mammals larger than the woodchuck ( Marmota ) or raccoon ( Procyon ) 
are too bulky to be stuffed in the field. The skin is removed in a some- 
what different manner from that described for smaller mammals, dried 
flat, with or without the use of chemical preservatives, and tanned later. 
It is sometimes difficult to get accurate and consistent measurements. 
Large mammals should if possible be measured on level ground, in a 
straight line from tip of nose to end of last vertebra of tail. Never measure 
around the curves of the back. A tape (preferably a steel one) should be 
used for all measurements. Measurements taken with a knotted string are 
uncertain on account of elasticity of the string, even if the collector can 
remember what the knots mean. Notches on a stick are a bit better, but 
after all, if a man is going to do scientific collecting he would do well to 
bring along tape and notebook as well as rifle, cartridges, and skinning knife. 
The three essential measurements used in scientific comparison should 
always be taken: 
(i) Length, from tip of nose to tip of last vertebra of tail, measured in 
straight line, with body stretched out. 
(ii) Tail, length from base bent at right angles to body to tip of last 
vertebra, not including hairs at end of tail. 
(iii) Hind foot, from tip of hock to tip of hoof, or from back of heel to end 
of longest claw, the foot being pulled out straight in any case. 
Additional measurements (Figure 22) may be taken for the benefit 
of the taxidermist who may mount the specimen. 
(iv) Height at shoulders, distance in a vertical line from top of withers to 
sole of foot or bottom of hoof as the animal would stand in a natural 
position. 
(v) Chest: circumference just back of the elbow, measured with a string or 
tape; depth at same point, measured in a straight line between two sticks 
stuck in ground at withers and brisket; thickness in widest part, the dis- 
tance between spines of shoulder blades. 
(vi) Neck: circumference , depth, and thickness at three places: (A) just back 
of head; (B) middle of throat; and (C) just in front of shoulders. 
(vii) Abdomen: circumference, depth, and thickness at largest part. 
(viii) Fore leg: circumference, depth, and thickness at three points; (A) elbow 
joint, near the body; (B) at middle of forearm; (C) at knee joint. 
