NATURAL HISTORY 241 



but, in its entire absence, corrosive sublimate, arsenical soap, cam- 

 phor, alum, &c., may be em|)loyeil. 



The proper materials I'or stuffinyj out skins Avill depend much upon 

 the size of the animal. For small birds and quadrupeds, cotton will 

 be found most convenient; for the larger, tow. For those still larger, 

 dry grass, straw, sawdust, bran, or other vegetable sul)stances, may 

 be used. Whatever substance be used care must be taken to have it 

 perfectly dry. Under no circumstances should animal matter, as 

 hair, wool, or feathers, be employed. 



§ III. SKINNING AND STUFFING. 



1. BIRDS. 



Whenever convenient the following notes should be made previous 

 to commencing the 0[)eration of skinning, as they will add much to 

 the value of the sjiecimens : 



1. The lengtli, in inches, from tip of bill to the end of the tail ; 

 the distance between the two extreu)ities of the outstretched wings; 

 and the length of the wing from the carpal or wrist-joint. The num- 

 bers may be recorded as follows : 44, 66, 12, (as for a swan.) without 

 any eXj)lanation ; it being well understood that the above measure- 

 ments ibllow each other in a fixed succession. These numbers may 

 be written on the buck of the label attached to each specimen. 



2. The color of the eyes, that of the feet, bill, gums, membranes, 

 caruncles, &c. 



3. The date, the locality, and the name of the collector. 



4. The sex. All these points should be recorded on the label. 

 Immediately after a bird is killed, the holes made by the shot, 



together with the mouth and internal or posterior nostrils, should be 

 plugged up with cotton, to prevent the escape of blood and the juices 

 of the stomach. A long narrow paper cone should be made ; the bird, 

 if small enough, thrust in, head foremost, and the open end folded 

 down, taking care not to break or b. nd the tail feathers in the opera- 

 tion . * 



When ready to proceed to skinning, remove the old cotton from 

 the throat, mouth, and nostrils, and replace it by fresh. Then take 

 the dimensions Irom the point of the bill to the end of the tail, from 

 the tip of one wing to that of the otlier, when both are extended, and 

 from the tip of the wing to the first or carpal joint, as already 

 indicated. 



This being done, make an incision through the skin only, from the 

 lower end of the breast bone to the anus. Should the intestines pro- 

 trude in small specimens, they had better be extracted, great care 

 being taken not to soil the feathers. Now proceed carefully to sepa- 

 rate the skin on each side from the subjacent parts, until you reach 

 the knee and expose the thigh; wlien, taking the leg in one hand, 

 push or thrust the knee u[)on the abdomen, and loosen the skin around 



♦Cruinplt'd or hent (eathtrs may liave much of their elasticity and original shape resloied 

 by dipjiiiifr in iiot water. 



IGs 



