The Dolphin, Porpoise, etc. The structure of these animals, as well as of the other species of the first family of this order, differs but little in general structure.
In skinning these, an incision is made under the chin, and continued to the extremity of the tail; the skin is then detached right and left with the scalpel, or a sharp knife. When the skin has been cut back as far as possible, disengage the vertebræ at the tail, and this will enable the operator to detach the skin from the back; the vertebræ are now cut close to the head, and the whole carcase removed.
All this tribe have a thick layer of fat under their skin. In the operation of skinning it requires considerable dexterity to leave this fat, or blubber, adhering to the carcase. Practice alone will obviate this. When this has not been properly managed in the skinning, the only thing to be done afterwards is to scrape it thoroughly with a knife. The oil which flows from it during this operation must be soaked up with bran, or plaster of Paris.
There being no muscular projections in the skin of the porpoise, there is no use for wires in mounting it. A narrow piece of wood the length of the body is quite sufficient to keep the skin stretched, and stuffed either with tow or hay. Some months are necessary to render it perfectly dry and stiff, from its greasy nature. The grease almost always leaves some disagreeable looking spots on the skin. To remove these, and prevent a recurrence of them, powdered pumice-stone steeped in olive oil, is rubbed thickly on the skin with a hand-brush. It is then gone over a second time with emery and oil. It is rubbed in this way till the skin has a glossy appearance, when it may be rubbed dry with a woolen cloth; and to complete the polish, a clean woolen cloth may be applied with some force to complete the gloss, which is natural to the skin in a living state.
Where a very glossy appearance is wished, varnishes become necessary, but some difficulty has been experienced in getting 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.
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.