MAKING SCIENTIFIC SKINS.
Probably most bird skins which are not mounted at once are kept in the
form of "scientific skins." In other words they are skinned, poisoned
and without wiring, given the shape of the dead bird. Their plumage,
size, etc., may be examined, they are easily packed or shipped and, if
properly made, may be mounted at any time but at the expenditure of
considerably more work than a freshly taken skin requires.
The instructions on skinning leaves us with the skin wrong side out with
the exception of possibly the head. The leg and wing bone, cleaned of
flesh, should be well poisoned as well as the skin and after wrapping
with pieces of cotton bat to their approximate size, returned to their
places. It is well when doing this to under rather than over fill.
Connect the bones of the wings with a bit of thread or cord. After
filling out around the eyes and upper throat, wind a small stick or
piece of wire with cotton to a size a little smaller than the natural
neck and push it into the opening at the back of skull.
The body can be filled out now with raw cotton, tow, or any similar
substance not of animal origin. Fine excelsior is about right for large
birds. The edges of the opening cut may be drawn together by a few
coarse stitches. After the feet have been tied together it is time to
adjust all the feathers become well rumpled in handling.
Our fingers, forceps and a setting needle made of a large needle or part
of a hat pin in a wooden handle will accomplish this. Stained or dirty
plumage should be cleaned before the skin is filled out, by first
sponging with tepid water, then with gasoline or benzine and drying with
plaster of paris or corn meal. Never apply this without the gasoline
first or you will have trouble indeed.
Now the skin is ready for its label, which should supply the following
information:
1. Length in inches from tip of tail to end of tail.
2. Distance between the tips of outstretched wings.
3. Length of wing from the first joint.
4. Color of eyes, feet, bill, etc.
5. Date, locality, collector.
6. The sex.
The first three items are often combined, in the case of a bluebird for
instance, 7-12-4, the order being understood.
Unless the plumage plainly indicates the sex this should be assured by
examination of the skinned body. By making an opening in the side of
this near the back bone the inside surface of the small of the back is
exposed. In the case of the male there will be visible two rounded
bodies, varying in size with the season and species, and in the female a
flattened mass of spheres.
After labeling and fastening the bill together with a pin or thread the
skin should be slipped inside a paper tube to dry. Water birds with long
slender necks should have the head bent around beside the body and the
long legs of waders are bent at the ankle and left resting on the body;
this to prevent breakage.
Duck, geese and any fat birds need the inside of the skins well scraped,
sponged with gasoline, partly filled with plaster paris and left for
several hours so all grease may be absorbed. This grease should be
removed prior to applying the preservative as it will prevent any
effectual penetration by the latter.
After cleaning either the inside or out of a skin with plaster it will
be necessary to gently beat it with a whisk broom or something similar
to dislodge the particles of plaster. A current of air (from a bicycle
pump, for instance) will remove the dust from the feathers when dry.
[Illustration: SCIENTIFIC SKINS, SMALL ANIMALS AND BIRDS.]
Fewest dry scientific skins are made up from the quadrupeds, but in case
the matter of transportation prevents wet preservation or they are
wanted dry the all around taxidermist must practice at making them up
also. Like the bird skin they should be thoroughly rid of flesh and fat
after skinning but do not require such finical handling. Rinsing in
water with a little washing powder or soda added will remove blood
stains and some grease but the benzine bath with the drying after, as
recommended in the chapter on tanning, etc., will be needed in case of
very fat specimens.
All small animals are made up about the same as birds, wrapping the leg
bones in tow, oakum or cotton and filling out the body with the same
material. The skull cleaned and poisoned had best be put in the centre
of the body with the filling, when it can be found at any time by
ripping a few of the stitches.
The skin of the head is filled out with the same material and the tail
may either be bent up under the body or drawn together by a few stitches
around a wrapped wire extending into the body half its length. Of course
the operator will see that the entire inner surface of the skin is
treated liberally with some preservative, arsenical paste preferably,
before the filling process.
After stitching up the opening cut the skin is laid on a board, back up
and the legs neatly disposed, the front feet beside the head and the
hind ones drawn back beside the tail. The feet are fastened with a pin
each and after smoothing down the fur with a small metal fur comb the
skin is laid aside in an airy, shady place until fully dry.
With each scientific skin a record should be made of the following
details:
1. Length, end of nose to root of tail.
2. Length of tail from root to end of bone.
3. Height at shoulders.
4. Color of eyes, lips, feet, etc.
5. Name of species, sex, locality, date, and collector's name.
These may be noted down on a corner of the outline sheet, which is
numbered and filed away; the skin tagged with a duplicate number is put
in the pickle jar or made up as a dried skin, whichever is desired, or
the full information may be put on a tag attached to the skin. Many
collectors simply number all specimens and preserve all information in
their note books. The foregoing details are sufficient for animals less
than bear and deer in size.
The larger animals should have as many as possible of the following
additional measurements:
Distance hip joint to shoulder joint.
Circumference of forearm.
" " neck.
" " body.
Back of leg.
Weight if possible.
Skins of large animals, a bear for instance, may have a slight wrapping
of tow or excelsior on the leg bones to prevent their coming in contact
with the skin and the whole skin laid to dry on a scaffold of poles or
something similar. When nearly dry fold up with the legs inside in a
square shaped package. This can be tied up with heavy cord or even sewed
up in burlap to prevent damaging the skin in transit. Fish and reptiles
are not a success as dry skins.