The Taxidermists' Manual; Or, the Art of Collecting, Preparing, and Preserving Objects of Natural History. Designed for the Use of Travellers, Conserv (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated.1849 Excerpt: ... (Betting these to remain attached to the skin in all weathers, because the humidity of rainy seasons melts gum Arabic when it is used as a varnish, and when white varnish is applied, both it and the gum Arabic fall off in pieces. To prevent the gum from falling off in this way, by its contracting, the solution should have about an eighth part of ox-gall mixed with it, and the surface of any body to be varnished should be washed with ox-gall and water before the varnish is applied, which will, almost to a certainty, prevent it from cracking and falling off. It must, however, be thoroughly dried before the varnish is applied. We may here state, that an animal the size of a Fox or a Cat, may be skinned, prepared, and finally set up, in the space of four or five hours, by a person who has had a little practice in the art of Taxidermy, and that from ten to fifteen minutes are all that will be required to skin an animal of the size just mentioned. CHAP. II. OF SKINNING, PRESERVING, AND MOUNTING BIRDS. SKINNING. Immediately after a Bird is killed, the throat and nostrils should be stuffed with tow, cotton, or fine rags, and a small quantity wound round the bill, to prevent the blood from staining the plumage; but should any get on the feathers, notwithstanding this precaution, the sooner it is removed the better, which should be effected by a sponge which has been merely moistened in water. Too much dispatch cannot be used in removing the skin, if the bird is shot in a warm climate; but, in temperate regions, the bird may be allowed to cool. In proceeding to skin the Bird, it should be laid on its back, and the feathers of the breast separated to the right and left, when a broad interval will be discovered, reaching from the top to the bottom of the breast-bone. (...