cut the attachments of the skin close by, which you
previously left, nor the ligaments which hold the upper to the lower
jaw. Both sides being served in the same manner, the skull presents a
tolerably clean appearance.

The ears are now nearest to the operator. (You will recollect they
have been cut off inside). All you can see of them, however, are two
shapeless masses of gristle surrounding a small hole. On the sides of
each--farthest from the head--you must begin cautiously skinning, and
by pushing your left hand through the aperture of the skin of the
body, assist this with your finger and thumb, pushed into the ear from
the outside, until by skilfully working with the knife and left-hand
fingers you turn the inside skin of each ear to its very edge and tip,
until, in fact, each stands up inside the skin, completely reversed.

The next thing which engages your attention is the near fore leg,
which you skin as far as you can go, in this instance to the next
joint, the one above the carpus or wrist joint. Repeat this with all
the limbs, in each case removing all the flesh from the two bones (the
radius and ulna of the fore limbs and the tibia and fibula of the
hind), which together form those parts of the bones you leave in. If
not done previously, now is the time to remove the tail bone. Finally,
rub every part of the skin on its inside, as also all the bones left
in, with the preservative recommended for mammals (No. 9), not
forgetting to push some up the hollow of the brush where the tail bone
has been.

Turn your fox's skin completely inside out, skull, leg bones and all,
until it comes to its normal position. Commence now from the pad of
each foot, and make an incision from near the toes to the point where
you left off. Skin round carefully and as much underneath as possible,
so as to expose all the flesh and sinews, which clear from off the
bone. Be sure to push your knife well round on the top of the bones,
which you may do by feeling with the knife and keeping the pad
uppermost. This is for the purpose of freeing the attachment of skin
around, to prevent ultimate shrivelling.

You may get nearly to the points of the toes in this manner, the only
places it should hold to the bone being the top of the last joint and
at the tips of the toes; the actual pad, which you will find loaded
with a thick fat, must be trimmed as well as possible.

Whilst doing all this take notice of the points of attachment and
sh