As many specimens are spoilt by either insufficient curing, or curing by wrong methods, I have asked Mr. Geo. F. Butt, F.Z.S., who was for many years manager to Edwin Ward, whom he has now succeeded, to give me a page or two of useful hints on the preservation of skins. The following notes are what he has kindly placed at my disposal. I know of no one I can more strongly recommend for good work than Mr. Butt. Some of his groups are works of art, with most lifelike finish. I have just seen a bear set up by him which seems almost to breathe.
NOTES ON SKINNING THE MAMMALIA AND THE PRESERVATION OF SKINS. By GEO. F. BUTT, F.Z.S., Naturalist to the Royal Family, 49, Wigmore Street, London, W.
The quadruped killed, the first and important step is to plug up the nostrils and throat with cotton-wool or tow, as also any wound from which blood may escape. Place the animal on its back, make a longitudinal incision with the knife at the lower part of the belly (the vent), and thence in as straight a line as possible extending to the chin bone, taking particular care that during the operation the hair is carefully divided and not cut. Vertical incisions may then be made extending down the inside of each leg to the claws. The skin can then be turned back in every direction as far as the extent of the incisions will admit of--the legs may now be freed from the skin. Next make a straight incision down the under part of the tail to the tip, turn the skin back until it is free. Having executed this, there remains only to remove the skin from the back and head; to do this place the carcase on its side, and with the scalpel carefully separate the skin by drawing it towards the head, in skinning which care being taken to cut the ears as close to the skull as possible, leaving the cartilage in the skin; the eyelids, also nose and lips, should be carefully skinned without injury. The skin is now free from the carcase. Turn the ears inside out, the nostrils, lips, and feet, removing all cartilage and flesh.
Place the skin open on the ground with the fur side down, and remove the flesh and pieces of fat adhering; scrape the skin well, so as to get away all the loose particles of under-skin or pelt. When this has been thoroughly done, take powdered alum plentifully, and, with a very small quantity of common salt, rub well into the skin, especially into the ears, nostrils, lips, and feet, so that every portion of the skin is powerfully impregnated. Allow the skin to lie in this condition for an hour or so, then place it on a line or branch to dry. The operation should be carried on in the shade, if possible.
If the specimen is not for stuffing it may be pegged out to dry on the ground, but in no one instance should a skin be unduly strained out of shape, which is often done in order to make it appear larger than it really is, a mistake which is very common.
When this operation is completed, and the skin dry, it is ready for packing, and should be folded, with the fur or hair inside, and placed in a sound box or case well protected against the visits of ants, beetles, or moth.
Where it is intended that the animal should be ultimately stuffed whole, it is necessary to preserve the leg bones. These should be separated from the trunk at the os humeri or shoulder-joint, and at the os femoris or thigh bones; these bones cleanse from flesh.
The skull in every instance should be preserved: remove the flesh and brain; to do this place the skull in boiling water for five or ten minutes--in the case of small skulls for five minutes only, care being taken that the teeth are not lost. In packing skulls each one should be tied up in paper, marked with a corresponding number to the skin to which it belongs, and packed firmly, to prevent rolling about, the result of which is often broken teeth and disappointment.
Another excellent method for the preservation of skins of mammalia, where convenience will permit, and which can be followed with confidence, is as follows: After the skin has been treated according to the directions given--viz. thoroughly scraped and cleansed of all adherent particles of flesh, &c.--place it entirely in a tub or cask in which a solution or pickle has been previously prepared, as follows: to every gallon of cold water add 1 lb. powdered alum, 1/2 oz. saltpetre, 2 oz. common salt; well mix. Allow the skin to remain about a couple of days, after which hang it up to dry and for packing.
INDEX.
Acanthion longicauda, 405
Ailuropus melanoleucos, 168
Ailurus fulgens, 169
Alactaga Indica, 401
Antelope bezoartica, 461
Anurosorex Assamensis, 149
Aonyx leptonyx, 199
Arctictis binturong, 235
Arctomys aureus, 313
" bobac, 310
" caudatus, 311
" dichrous, 314
" Hemachalanus, 312
" robustus, 315
Arctonyx collaris, 170
" taxoides, 171
Arvicola Blanfordi, 391
" Blythii, 392
" mandarinus, 393
" melanogaster, 395
" Roylei, 390
" Sikimensis, 394
" Stoliczkanus, 387
" Stracheyi, 388
" Wynnei, 389
Atherura fasciculata, 402
Axis maculatus, 472
" porcinus, 473
Balaenoptera Indica, 271
Barbastellus communis, 120
Bubalus arni, 468
Budorcas taxicolor, 455
Canis aureus, 248
" laniger, 246
" lupus, 247
" pallipes, 245
" rutilans, 249
Capra aegagrus, 448
" hylocrius, 450
" Jemlaicus, 449
" megaceros, 446
" Sibirica, 447
Cervulus muntjac vel aureus, 470
Cervus affinis vel Wallichii, 477
" Cashmirianus, 476
" maral, 477
Coelops Frithii, 68
Corsira Alpina, 148
Cricetus fulvus, 331
" phaeus, 330
Cuon rutilans, 249
Cynonycteris amplexicaudata, 32
Cynopterus marginatus, 33
Delphinus fusiformis, 265
" gadamu, 262
" lentiginosus, 263
" longirostris, 267
" maculiventer, 264
" perniger, 260
" plumbeus, 261
" pomeegra, 266
" velox, 268
Dipus lagopus, 400
Elephas Indicus, 425
Eonycteris spelaea, 35
Equus hemionus, 427
" onager, 426
Erinaceus Blanfordi, 154
" collaris, 150
" Grayi, 153
" Jerdoni, 155
" megalotis, 156
" micropus, 151
" pictus, 152
Euphysetes simus, 270
Felis aurata, 210
" Bengalensis, 208
" caracal, 218
" chaus, 216
" Diardii vel macrocelis, 205
" isabellina, 217
" Jerdoni, 209
" jubata, 219
" leo, 200
" manul, 213
" marmorata, 207
" panthera, 203
" pardus, 202
" rubiginosa, 211
" scripta, 214
" Shawiana, 215
" tigris, 201
" torquata, 212
" uncia, 204
" viverrina, 206
Feroculus macropus, 138
Galaeopithecus volans, 30
Gavaeus frontalis, 465
" gaurus, 464
" Sondaicus, 466
Gazella Bennetti, 456
" fuscifrons, 457
" picticaudata, 459
" subgutterosa, 458
Gerbillus cryptorhinus, 319
" erythrurus, 320
" Hurrianae, 318
" Indicus, 317
" nanus, 321
Globicephalus Indicus, 269
Golunda Ellioti, 378
" meltada, 379
Gymnura Rafflesii, 162
Halicore dugong, 272
Hapalomys longicaudatus, 380
Harpiocephalus auratus, 101
" cyclotis, 104
" griseus, 102
" harpia, 99
" leucogaster, 103
" suillus, 100
Helarctos gedrosianus, 165
" Malayanus, 166
" Tibetanus, 164
Helictis moschata, 176
" Nipalensis, 175
Hemitragus hylocrius, 450
" Jemlaicus, 449
Herpestes auropunctatus, 239
" ferrugineus, 242
" fuscus, 240
" Jerdoni vel monticolus, 237
" Maccarthiae, 241
" pallidus vel griseus, 236
" Smithii, 238
" vitticollis, 243
Hipposideros armiger, 54
" Blythii, 60
" cineraceus, 57
" diadema, 61
" larvatus, 58
" murinus, 56
" speoris, 55
" vulgaris, 59
Hyaena striata, 220
Hylobates hooluck, 1
" lar, 2
" syndactylus, 3
Hystrix Bengalensis, 404
" leucura, 403
" longicauda, 405
" Yunnanensis, 406
Inuus arctoides, 22
" leoninus, 21
" nemestrinus, 20
" pelops, 19
" rhesus, 18
" silenus, 17
" Thibetanus, 23
Kerivoula Hardwickii, 107
" pallida, 105-106
" papillosa, 106
" picta, 105
Lagomys auritus, 421
" Curzoniae, 419
" griseus, 423
" Ladacensis, 420
" macrotis, 422
" Roylei, 418
" rufescens, 424
Lasiurus Pearsonii, 99
Leggada Jerdoni, 376
" lepida, 377
" platythrix, 374
" spinulosa, 375
Lepus craspedotis, 416
" hispidus, 417
" hypsibius, 410
" nigricollis, 408
" pallipes, 411
" Pamirensis, 414
" Peguensis, 409
" ruficaudatus, 407
" Stoliczkanus, 415
" Tibetanus, 412
" Yarkandensis, 413
Loris gracilis, 29
Lutra aurobrunnea, 198
" Ellioti, 197
" monticola vel simung, 196
" nair, 195
Macacus arctoides, 22
" carbonarius, 27
" cynomolgus, 26
" leoninus, 21
" nemestrinus, 20
" pelops, 19
" pileatus, 25
" radiatus, 24
" rhesus, 18
" silenus, 17
" Thibetanus, 23
Macroglossus minimus, 34
Manis aurita, 481
" Javanica, 482
" pentadactyla vel brachyura, 480
Martes abietum, 178
" flavigula, 177
" toufoeus, 179
Megaderma lyra, 36
" spasma, 38
" spectrum, 37
Meles albogularis, 173
" leucurus, 172
Mellivora Indica, 174
Melursus labiatus, 167
Meminna Indica, 479
Miniopterus Schreibersii, 119
Moschus moschiferus, 469
Mus aequicaudalis, 349
" Andamanensis, 334
" bactrianus, 359
" badius, 352
" Beaveni, 368
" brunneus, 340
" caudatior, 344
" cervicolor, 364
" Ceylonus, 347
" Chevrieri, 385
" concolor, 345
" Confucianus, 384
" crassipes, 360
" cunicularis, 369
" Darjeelingensis, 357
" decumanus, 333
" Elliotanus, 328
" erythronotus, 363
" erythrotis, 370
" flavipectus, 382
" fulvidiventris, 371
" giganteus, 329
" gliroides, 353
" griseipectus, 383
" homourus, 356
" infralineatus, 339
" Khakhyenensis, 372
" Nilagiricus, 351
" nitidulus, 367
" nitidus, 343
" niveiventer, 342
" oleraceus, 350
" ouang-thomae, 381
" pachycercus, 362
" palmarum, 346
" Peguensis, 354; ibid. 366 (By oversight this species has been twice described.)
" plurimammis, 348
" pygmaeus, 386
" rattus, 332
" robustulus, 335
" rubricosa, 337
" rufescens, 341
" Sladeni, 336
" sublimis, 361
" terricolor, 365
" Tytleri, 358
" urbanus, 355
" viculorum, 373
" Yunnanensis, 338
Mustela alpina, 187
" canigula, 184
" erminea, 183
" Hodgsoni, 188
" Horsfieldi, 189
" kathiah, 181
" Sibirica, 186
" Stoliczkana, 185
" strigidorsa, 182
Myotis murinus, 108
" parvipes, 110
" Theobaldi, 109
Myoxus, Appendix A
Nemorhoedus bubalina, 451
" Edwardsii, 453
" goral, 454
" rubida vel Sumatrensis, 452
Nesokia Barclayiana, 327
" Blythiana, 326
" Elliotanus, 328
" giganteus, 329
" Hardwickii, 322
" Huttoni, 323
" providens, 325
" Scullyi, 324
Noctulinia noctula, 97-98
Nycticebus tardigradus, 28
Nycticejus atratus, 97-98
" canus, 97-98
" castaneus, 97-98
" Heathii, 97-98
" luteus, 97-98
" nivicolus, 97-98
" ornatus, 97-98
" Temminckii, 97-98
Nyctogale elegans, 147
Nyctophilus Geoffroyi, 121
Orcella brevirostris, 258
" fluminalis, 259
Ovis Blanfordii, 444
" Brookei, 441
" cycloceros, 443
" Hodgsoni, 439
" Karelini, 440
" nahura vel burhel, 445
" Polii, 438
" Vignei, 442
Panolia Eldii, 475
Pantholops Hodgsonii, 460
Paradoxurus bondar, 230
" Grayii, 229
" laniger, 234
" leucotis, 232
" musanga, 228
" trivirgatus, 231
" zeylanicus, 233
Phyllorhina armigera, 64
" bicolor, 67
" diadema, 61
" galerita, 66
" leptophylla, 65
" Masoni, 62
" Nicobarensis, 63
Physeter simus, 270
Platacanthomys lasiurus, 316
Platanista Gangetica, 257
Plecotus auritus vel homochrous, 77
Poephagus grunniens, 467
Porcula Salvania, 437
Portax pictus vel tragocamelus, 462
Presbytes albinus, 16
" Barbei, 10
" cephalopterus, 13
" entellus, 4
" Johnii, 7
" jubatus, 8
" obscurus, 12
" Phayrei, 11
" pileatus, 9
" priamus, 6
" schistaceus, 5
" thersites, 15
" ursinus, 14
Prionodon gracilis, 227
" maculosus, 226
" pardicolor, 225
Pteromys albiventer, 303
" alboniger, 308
" alborufus, 301
" caniceps, 304
" cineraceus, 298
" fimbriatus, 307
" magnificus, 302
" melanopterus, 300
" oral, 297
" Pearsonii, 305
" spadiceus, 309
" Yunnanensis, 299
Pteropus Edwardsii vel medius, 31
" Leschenaultii, 32
" minimus, 34
Putorius astutus, 193
" Davidianus, 192
" larvatus vel Tibetanus, 191
" Moupinensis, 194
Rhinoceros Indicus, 429
" lasiotis, 431
" Sondaicus, 430
" Sumatrensis, 432
Rhinolophus affinis, 43
" Andamanensis, 48
" coelophyllus, 50
" Garoensis, 51
" macrotis, 45
" minor, 49
" mitratus, 40
" Pearsonii, 42
" perniger vel luctus, 39
" Petersii, 52
" rammanika, 47
" rouxi, 44
" sub-badius, 46
" tragatus vel ferrum-equinum, 41
" trifoliatus, 53
Rhinopoma Hardwickii, 69
Rhinosciurus tupaoides, 296
Rhizomys badius, 396
" erythrogenys, 397
" minor, 399
" pruinosus, 398
Rucervus Duvaucelli, 474
" Eldii, 475
Rusa Aristotelis, 471
Sciurus atrodorsalis, 283
" Berdmorei, 294
" Blanfordii, 282
" caniceps, 280
" erythraeus, 284
" ferrugineus, 288
" giganteus, 276
" Gordoni, 285
" hippurus, 286
" Indicus, 273
" Layardi, 291
" lokriah, 277
" lokroides, 278
" macrourus, 275
" maximus, 274
" palmarum, 289
" Phayrei, 281
" pygerythrus, 279
" quinquestriatus, 295
" Sladeni, 287
" sublineatus, 292
" tristriatus, 290
" tupaoides, 296
Scotophilus emarginatus, 95
" fuliginosus, 92
" Heathii, 94
" ornatus, 96
" pallidus, 97
" Temminckii, 93
Semnopithecus albinus, 16
" Barbei, 10
" cephalopterus, 13
" entellus, 4
" Johnii, 7
" jubatus, 8
" obscurus, 12
" Phayrei, 11
" pileatus, 9
" priamus, 6
" schistaceus, 5
" thersites, 15
" ursinus, 14
Sorex atratus, 144
" caerulescens, 125
" ferrugineus, 135
" Griffithi, 136
" heterodon, 137
" Hodgsoni, 139
" leucops, 132
Taphozous longimanus, 70
" melanopogon, 71
" Kachhensis, 74
" saccolaimus, 72
" Theobaldi, 73
Tapirus Malayanus, 428
Taxidia leucurus, 172
Tetraceros quadricornis, 463
Tragulus napu, 478
Tupaia Chinensis, 160
" Ellioti, 158
" Nicobarica, 161
" Peguana vel Belangeri, 159
Ursus gedrosianus, 165
" Isabellinus, 163
" labiatus, 167
" Malayanus, 166
" torquatus vel Tibetanus, 164
Urva cancrivora, 244
Vespertilio Coromandelicus, 90
" emarginatus, 118
" formosus, 116
" longipes, 111
" montivagus, 114
" muricola, 113
" murinoides, 115
" murinus, 108
" mystacinus, 112
" Nepalensis, 117
Vesperugo Abramus, 90
" affinis, 81
" annectans, 86
" atratus, 83
" Coromandelianus, 90
" dormeri, 87
" Leisleri, 89
" leucotis, 79
" lobatus, 91
" maurus, 80
" noctula, 78
" pachyomus, 89-90
" pachyotis, 82
" pachypus, 85
" serotinus, 88
" Tickelli, 84
Viverra civettina, 222
" Malaccensis, 224
" megaspila, 223
" zibetha, 221
Vulpes Bengalensis, 250
" ferrilatus, 252
" flavescens, 255
" Griffithii, 256
" leucopus, 251
" montanus, 253
" pusillus, 254
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Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon · The Wunder Library — complete classics, free to read, with narration.