38 FIELD ORNITHOLOGY part i 



that with the first plialanx of tlie middle toe below. Measure it 

 always with dividers, and in front of the leg. Length of toes : 

 Distance in a straight line along the upper surface of a toe 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. 

 Length of the clatvs : Distance in a straight line from the point 

 last indicated to the tip of the claw. Length of head is often a 

 convenient dimension for comparison with the bill. Set one foot of 

 the dividers over the Ixase of the culmen (determined as above) 

 and allow the other to slip snugly down over the arch of the 

 occiput. 



§ 6.— INSTRUMENTS, MATERIALS, AND FIXTURES FOR 

 PREPARING BIRDSKINS 



Instruments. — The only indispensable instrument is a pair of 

 scissors or a knife ; pr-actically, j'ou want both of these, a pair of 

 spring-forceps, and a knitting-needle, or some similar wooden or 

 ivory object. I have made hundreds of birdskins consecutively 

 without touching another tool. Persicos odi, ])uer, apjyaratus ! I 

 always mistrust the emphasis of a collector who makes a flourish of 

 instruments. You might be surprised to see what a meagre, shabby- 

 looking kit our best taxidermists work with. Stick to your scissors, 

 knife, forceps, and needle. P>ut you may as well buy, at the outset, 

 a common dissecting-case, such as medical students begin business 

 with ; it is very cheap, and if there are some unnecessary things in 

 it, it makes a nice little box in which to keep your tools. The case 

 contains, among other things, several scalpels, just the knives you 

 want ; a " cartilage-knife," which is nothing but a stout scalpel, suit- 

 able for large birds ; the best kind of scissors for your purpose, with 

 short blades and long handles — if kneed at the hinge so much 

 the better ; spring foi'ceps, the very thing ; a blow-pipe, useful in 

 many ways and answering instead of a knitting-needle ; and some 

 little steel hooks, chained together, which you may want to use. 

 But you will also require, for large birds, a very heavy pair of scissors, 

 or small shears, short-bladed and long-handled, and a stout pair of 

 bone nippers. Have some pins and needles ; surgical needles, which 

 cut instead of punching, are the best. Get a hone or strop, if you 

 wish, and a feather-duster. Use of scissors requires no comment, 

 and I would urge their habitual employ instead of the knife-blade ; 

 I do nine-tenths of my cutting with scissors, and find it much the 

 easiest. A double-lever is twice as effective as a single one. More- 

 , over, scalpels need constant sharpening ; mine are generally too dull 



