756 
AFRICAN GAME ANIMALS 
care should be used in guarding them against breakage, 
especially such parts as the teeth and the delicate bony 
processes which are extremely important structures in their 
classification. A strong tendency is manifest among sports¬ 
men to remove as much meat as possible from the skull in 
the field so as to minimize the odoriferous effects which 
emanate from such dried specimens. The cutting of muscle, 
however, from skulls by the rough methods usually employed 
by native assistants often results in cutting off the delicate 
processes or in scarring the bones by knife cuts. As much of 
the meat as can be dried thoroughly on the skull serves as a 
protection to the bones, and is in no way a menace to its 
preservation. An ideal way of getting rid of the smell and 
the insect larvae which feed upon dried meat and bones is to 
soak the bones several hours in a solution of arsenic water 
after they have become thoroughly dry, and then redry them 
for a few hours in the sun. The arsenic not only kills the 
insects which are on them at the time, but it prevents further 
insect attack. The skulls of the smaller species should be 
carefully carried in boxes in the field to prevent their being 
knocked about and broken. 
