COLLECTING SKINS OF SMALL BIKDS. 49 



7. Length of toes. Distance in a straight line along the upper 

 surface of a toe is from the point last indicated to the root of 

 the claw on top. Length of toe is to be taken without the claw, 

 unless otherwise specified. 



8. Length of tlie claius. Distance in a straight line from the 

 point last indicated to the tip of the claw. 



9. Length of head. Set one foot of the dividers over the base 

 of the culmen, and allow the other to slip just snugly down 

 over the arch of the occiput. 



For skinning a small bird, the only instrument imperatively 

 necessary is a good-sized scalpel or a sharp penknife. You 

 can use a pair of small scissors now and then, if you have them, 

 to very good advantage, in severing legs and wings and clip- 

 ping off tendons. Have ready a dish of corn meal to absorb 

 any blood that is likely to soil the feathers. Now push a wad 

 of cotton up the vent, and we are ready to remove the skin. 



No, there is one thing more. The wings lie close to the 

 body, and will be continually in our way unless we break them 

 so that they will fall back and leave us a clear field. It is the 

 humerus that must be snapped in two, as close to the body as 

 possible. Those of small birds are easily broken with the 

 thumb and finger, but in a large bird they must be treated to a 

 sharp blow with a heavy stick, or a hammer. 



Lay the bird upon its back, with its head toward your left 

 hand ; part the feathers in a straight line, and divide the skin 

 from the centre of the breast straight down to the end of tho 

 breastbone, and on until the vent is reached. Cut through tho 

 skin only, for if you go too deep and cut through the wall of 

 the abdomen you will have the intestines and various other 

 troubles upon your hands. 



Skin down each side of the bird until you come to the knee- 

 joint, which lies close to the body, and well within the skin. 

 Sever each leg completely at the knee, leaving the thigh attached 

 to the body, turn the skin of the leg wrong side out over the 

 fleshy part, quite down to the joint, and then cut away every 

 particle of flesh from the bone of the leg. 



Sever the tail from the body close to the ends of the tail 

 feathers, without cutting through the skin. Now take the body 

 between the thumb and forefinger of the left hand, holding it 

 4 



