The leather manufacturer classifies sheepskins according to the size of the pelts. The large skins are tanned for light upper leathers and similar work. These are called "basils." Many large skins are also split green into "skivers" which after vegetable tannage are finished for fancy goods, bookbinding, etc. The fleshes are often oil-tanned for chamois leather (Part IV., Section III.). Medium-sized skins such as are obtained from the Down sheep are tanned for "roans," and finished as a kind of morocco leather. Small skins are mostly "tawed" (Part IV., Section I.) for glove leathers, but some are made into roller leather by vegetable tannage. Basils, which represent the heaviest sheepskin work, are tanned and finished in the following manner. The limed pelts are first bated lightly at about 80° F. for two days, scudded and drenched. They are sometimes puered, but more often merely delimed with organic acids. In this last case they are first paddled in warm water to remove excess of lime, and a mixture of organic acids is very slowly added at definite intervals. When nearly free from caustic alkali the skins are removed and drenched overnight. There are two types of tannage. The West of England tannage is similar to those noted for sealskins when oak bark and sumach are employed (Section III.). There is also the tendency to paddle more and handle less, and to use the stronger tanning materials such as myrabs, gambier and other extracts. After about 12 hours' tannage in paddles they are coloured through, and are then degreased by hydraulic pressure. The skins are piled in the press with layers of sawdust or bran between them, and the pressure applied very slowly. Much grease runs out, for the natural sheepskin contains up to 15 per cent. of oil and fat. Degreasing may be postponed till tannage is complete, and the grease can then be extracted by solvents (benzene, acetone, etc.). Degreasing after part tannage is usually considered preferable, and the skins may be tanned out in pit or paddle in about a week. The Scotch tannage is with larch bark from _Pinus larix_, which contains up to 13 per cent. of a rather mellow catechol tan. This material has also some sugars and yields sour and plumping liquors. The basils are paddled in weak liquors (8°-11°) for about 2 days, and when struck through are degreased by hydraulic pressure. They are then soaked back and tanned out in stronger liquors (11°-20°), which takes up to one week. They are then dried out and sorted in the crust. The finishing depends of course upon the purpose in view. If for linings they are soaked, shaved, sumached, struck out well, nailed on boards and dried right out. They are next stained with a solution of starch, milk and red dyestuff. After drying they are glazed by machine and softened with a hand board. For fancy slippers the crust skins are starched and stained directly, then "staked" (see Part III., Section II.), fluffed, seasoned and glazed. If