EQUIPMENT, ARMS, AND SPECIMENS 751 
dried skins powdered arsenic is of valuable assistance as an 
insecticide. It may be applied to the dermal side of the 
skin while it is still green, or the skin after being thoroughly 
dried may be dipped into a solution of it and redried. This 
last process renders the whole hair surface, as well as the 
dermal layer, insect proof. 
The use of alum in any form is to be avoided except as a 
last resort in decaying skins. The astringent action which 
it exerts upon the skin has a killing or hardening effect on 
the tissues which remains in them permanently. Such ac¬ 
tion affects seriously their elasticity, and makes it difficult 
for the taxidermist to restore them to their natural shape. 
Alum is of use occasionally in decaying skins, for its astrin¬ 
gent action is powerful enough to set the hair which decay 
has already caused to slip. 
As the game trophies of sportsmen consist almost in¬ 
variably of only the head skin and horns, the skinning of the 
head is of first importance. Care should be taken to make 
all cuts from the under side of the skin so as to avoid cutting 
the hair bordering the incisions, particularly about the base 
of the horns where the hair is unusually long. The neck 
should be cut off at the shoulders, so that it may have 
enough length to give it a graceful appearance when 
mounted. Make the cut as far back as the withers and the 
base of the forelegs. From a point a few inches behind the 
horns make a longitudinal cut, following the midline of 
the nape to the withers; then connect the neck cut with 
both horn bases by a short cut to the back of the horn bases 
and continue the cut completely around each horn. Begin 
skinning at the base of the neck by pulling the skin forward, 
being careful to leave all the fat and skin muscle attached 
