prevented.
The solution of formaldehyde can be used for this purpose but is not as
good as it toughens the flesh, making its future removal more difficult.
The complete cleaning of a skeleton is a matter of much soaking and
scraping, calling for much patience and a strong stomach. Ligamentary
skeletons of the smaller birds and animals are often prepared and
mounted by the non-professional with fair success.

The entire specimen is cleaned of all flesh without disconnecting any of
the bones except the skull and the leg of all but the smallest species.

The spinal cord is replaced with a brass or galvanized wire of suitable
size and length; this should project enough to penetrate a piece of cork
fitted to the cavity of the skull. If the leg bones were removed they
should be fastened back in place by drilling small holes through them at
the joints, inserting a piece of brass wire and clinching the ends over.

The skeleton is hung by cords or threads in a frame of wooden strips, so
the feet will rest on the base, and then arranged in some natural
attitude, holding the parts in place until the ligaments are fully dry
by means of pins, threads and strips of cardboard.

The finished skeleton had best be supported on its pedestal by two metal
rods with a U shaped fork at their upper ends which will clasp the
vertebrae just in front of the hind legs and back of the head. These
rods should be of brass or galvanized iron gilded and their lower ends
are either threaded and provided with two nuts, or bent at right angles
and stapled to the under side of the mount. Bird skeletons are treated
in a similar way, but the wing bones need a supporting wire fastened to
the back bone and a single standard. The smaller birds and animals up to
the size of a small squirrel may be skeletonized and mounted without
metal supports.

A ligament which gives way may be replaced by some fibres of raw cotton
saturated with glue. While cleaning the bone for a ligamentary skeleton
it should be kept damp until it is given the final attitude. Water with
a few drops of carbolic acid should be used for this. A bath with
chloride of lime solution will help to whiten the bones, though very
greasy ones call for an application of benzine.

Fish, reptiles, etc., demand about the same treatment. The large birds
and quadrupeds are usually cleaned bone by bone, and each joint
articulated in the laboratory, though their preservation in the field as
rough skeleto