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.
CROCODILES AND LIZARDS IN GENERAL.
Skinning. All this tribe are skinned in the same manner as quadrupeds. Care is, however, required in skinning the tails of the smaller species, as they are very liable to break. The skins being of a dry nature, require but little of the preservative. After they are thoroughly dried they will keep a very long time without decay.
Stuffing. Stuff them as directed for quadrupeds. They admit of but little variety of attitude. The small species are exceedingly apt to change color in drying, which must be imitated with the colored varnishes, and afterwards dimmed with sand-paper. To keep them in their natural colors, they should be preserved in spirits.
The skins of such as are glossy should be varnished after they are perfectly dry.
SERPENTS IN GENERAL.
Skinning. In skinning serpents there is some nicety required, to cut them so as not to disfigure the scales; the opening should be made in the side, commencing at the termination of the scales; and they should on no account be divided, as upon their number the species is mostly determined.
It is a very frequent practice to send home serpents without the head, which renders them quite unfit for any scientific purpose. This proceeds from the fear of receiving poison from the fangs. But there is not the slightest danger of being affected, as these can easily be cut out by means of pincers. The head should be cleaned and the brain removed, in the same manner as recommended for birds and quadrupeds, the skull anointed and then returned into the skin.