192 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
will be found the best; the traps can be baited with fish, corn, fruit,—toasted 
cheese will always be found a most attractive bait;—by this means many 
animals will be taken that were previously unknown in the locality, for many 
of them being nocturnal in their habits may have escaped observation. 
Line sand smoothly laid in open spaces in woods, or in tracks leading to 
or from ponds or streams, will often indicate by the impressions left behind, 
that there are those in the neighbourhood that you would be pleased to 
become better acquainted with. 
The larger mammals in most cases can be obtained by placing strychnine 
on any bait laid for them. 
Skulls may be preserved by boiling, or cutting away the muscle and 
drying, or by putting in spirits; but in every case, care should be taken not 
to cut or mutilate the bone. 
In the case of antelopes and deer, when not convenient to take the whole 
skull, sufficient should be taken to keep the horns attached. 
When the skin of any of the larger mammals is to be preserved, the 
following mixture may be used; alum two parts, saltpetre one, to be 
pounded into a fine powder and well mixed; at the same time it must be 
stated that arsenic is the only true curative agent, all others only answer 
for a short time. Every portion of the skin must be covered while in a fresh 
state, the skin may then be allowed to dry partially, and when folded up, 
the hair side should be placed outwards. 
Birds. 
In making collections of birds the following notes should be taken. 
Length from tip of bill to the end of tail, expanse of outstretched wings, 
length of wing from the carpal or first joint; if put down in this 
manner, 20, 36, 10 (the figures representing inches): the first will stand for 
the length; the second, the outstretched wings ; the third, length of wing from 
first joint. The colour of the eyes, feet, bill, or any other naked part; the sex, 
which should always be given from dissection, the date and locality. If the 
specimen is numbered and a note book kept, the whole of these remarks 
should be recorded against the number in the book; when no book is kept, 
they should be written upon a label and attached to the bird. 
Eor preserving the skins of birds there is nothing equal to arsenical 
soap, which may be made in the following manner:— 
Camphor, 5 oz.; powdered arsenic, 2 lbs.; white soap, 2 lbs.; salt of tar¬ 
tar, 12 oz.; powdered chalk, 4 oz. Cut the soap into small slices, as thin as 
possible, put them into a pot over a gentle fire, with a very little water, 
stirring it often with a wooden spoon; when dissolved, add the salts of tartar 
and powdered chalk : take it off the fire, add the arsenic, and stir the whole 
gently; lastly, put in the camphor, which must first be pounded in a mortar 
with a little spirits of wine. When the whole is properly mixed together, it 
will have the consistence of paste. It may be preserved in tin or earthen¬ 
ware pots, well closed and cautiously labelled. When wanted for use, it 
must be diluted with a little cold water to the consistence of clear broth; 
the pot may be covered with a lid of pasteboard, having a hole for the 
passage of the brush by which the liquor is applied. This mixture must be 
applied to all parts of the inner surface of the skin. 
