om the animal as soon as possible
after it has been killed, is stretched and tacked on to a board, the
flesh side being outwards. This is at once covered with lard carefully
spread over the entire surface, no portion being allowed to escape. As
the moisture dries out of the skin, the lard enters the pores and
supplies its place, and in about a week's time (the lard being
carefully renewed when requisite) the skin will have altered its
character, in consequence of being penetrated by the grease. It is
then removed and washed thoroughly in warm water and soap until the
external grease is removed. During the drying it is necessary to pull
and stretch the skin in all directions, so that its texture opens, and
it becomes white, owing to the admission of air into the pores; this
stretching is accompanied, or rather preceded, by careful scraping or
currying with a sharp knife or razor, to remove the fleshy matters and
render the skin thinner. With the larger number of skins the process
is successful; but some few go bad, apparently from not absorbing the
lard with sufficient rapidity."..

Possibly the species of mammals treated may have something to do with
this, the skins of carnivorous animals bearing exposure better than
those of the rodentia--hares, rabbits, squirrels, etc, and
insectivora--bats, shrew-mice, and moles--indeed, the latter animals
must be skinned almost as soon as they are dead, or the skin turns
"green" and goes bad in a very short time. No doubt the vegetable and
insect food consumed by these cause fermentation after death, with the
resultant putrefaction of the bowels and the thin coverings of the
latter.

I would here point out, however, that small skins--cats', rabbits',
etc.--will be perfectly preserved if stretched out whilst fresh, cured
with the chloride of lime preservative (No. 4), and then finally
treated with lard and essence of musk, and finished off by either of
the preceding methods to render them clean and supple. A correspondent
who had treated some cats' skins by this method writes to say he has
"succeeded in curing some cats' skins in an admirable manner" by
following these instructions.

A very convenient mixture of borax and another natural salt has been
brought out by Mr. Robottom, of Birmingham (see Chapter I). I have
given his preparation a long and patient investigation, and can
recommend it for small skins, while its convenient form, cleanliness,
and low price, place it within