Skinning. The first operation is to separate the back and breast shells
with a strong short knife, or chisel. If the force of the hand is
inadequate, a mallet may be used, taking care not to strike so hard as
to crack the shell.
These two bony plates being covered by the skin, or by scales, the
scapula, and all the muscles of the arm and neck, in place of being
attached to the ribs and spine, are placed below, from which cause the
tortoise has been termed a retroverted animal. The vertebral extremity
of the scapula is articulated with the shield, and the opposite
extremity of the clavicle with the breast-plate in such a manner that
the shoulders form a ring for the passage of the windpipe and gullet.
After the turtle is opened, all the flesh which adheres to the
breast-plate, and also to the upper shell, is removed, while attention
is paid to the parts as above described. The head, fore-feet, and tail
are skinned as in quadrupeds; but none of these must be removed from the
upper shell, but left attached.
All the fleshy parts being removed, the shells are washed out with a
sponge, and carefully dried. They are then slightly rubbed with the
arsenical soap.
=Stuffing.= Wires are now passed through the middle of the legs, after
the skin has been rubbed with the preservative. The skull is returned to
its place, and the whole of the head, neck, and legs stuffed with
chopped flax or tow. The parts of the skin which have been cut are then
sewed together. The back and breast-plates are then united by four small
holes, being bored at their edges, and united by strings or small wires.
The junction of the bones may then be attached with the cement, colored
so as to correspond with the shell.
If the calipash is dirty, it may be cleaned with a slight solution of
nitric-acid and water; afterwards clean washed, oiled, and then rubbed
hard with a woolen rag, to give it a polish.