Stránka:book 1912.djvu/399

Natural History 367 (i) The TOTAL LENGTH IS the distance between the tip of the nose and the end of the tail vertebrae. It is taken by laying the animal on a board, with its nose against a pin or upright post, and by straightening the back and tail by extending the hind legs with one hand while holding the head with the other; a pin is then driven into the board at the end of the vertebrae. (See Fig. 2.) (2) The LENGTH OF TAIL is the length of the caudal vertebrae. It is taken by erecting the tail at right angle to the back, and placing one point of the dividers on the backbone at the very root of the tail, the other at the tip end of the vertebne. (See Fig. 3.) (3) The HIND FOOT is measured by placing one point of the dividers against the end of the heel (calcancum), the other at the tip of the longest claw, the foot being flattened for this purpose. (See Fig. 4.) DIRECTIONS FOR THE PREPARATION OF SKINS Skin all mammals as soon as possible after death. Lay the animal on its back, and make an incision along the middle of the belly from just behind the fore legs nearly to the vent. Be careful not to stretch the skin while removing it, and exercise great caution in skinning around the e3^es and lips, which are easily cut. Skin as far down on the feet as possible, but leave in the bones of the legs. Remove the bone from the tail by pulling it between the fingers (in the larger species a split stick answers well). Take out the skull, being careful not to cut or injure it in any way, and wash out the brains by means of a syringe or jet of water. Remove the tongue, and cut off the thick flesh from the sides and base of the skull. Tie a tag to the skull, bearing the sam^e number