19 



IT over the neck, until the skull is exposed. Arrived at this point, 

 detach the delicate membrane of the ear from its cavity in the skull, 

 if possible, without cutting or tearing it ; then, by means of the 

 thumb-nails, loosen the adhesion of the skin to the other parts of 

 the head, until you come to the very base of the mandibles, taking 

 care to cut through the white nictitating membrane of the eye, 

 when exposed, without lacerating the ball. Scoop out the eyes, 

 and, by making one cut on each side of the head, through the 

 small bone connecting the base of the lower jaw with the skull, 

 another through the roof of the mouth at the base of the upper 

 mandible, and between the jaws of the lower, and a fourth through 

 the skull behind the orbits, and parallel to the roof of the mouth, 

 you will have freed the skull from all the accompanying brain and 

 muscle. Should anything still adhere, it may be removed sepa- 

 rately. In making the first two cuts, care must be taken not to 

 injure or sever the zygoma, a small bone extending from the base 

 of the upper mandible to the base of the lower jaw-bone. Clean 

 off every particle of muscle and fat from the head and neck, and, 

 applying the preservative abundantly to the skull, inside and out, 

 as well as to th^ skin, restore these parts to their natural position. 

 In all the preceding operations, the skin should be handled as near 

 the point of adhesion as possible, especial care being taken not to 

 stretch it. 



Finely powdered plaster of Paris, chalk, or whiting, may be 

 used to great advantage by sprinkling on the exposed surface of 

 the carcass, and inside of skin, to absorb the grease and blood. 



An excellent suggestion of Mr. Davies, the author just quoted, 

 in the case of greasy, fatty, or bloody specimens, is to have strips 

 of calico or cotton cloth, and to baste them on the inside of the 

 i^kin along the edges of the incision, so that they may project a 

 little beyond the feathers. This will be exceedingly ellectual iu 

 keeping the feathers clean. The cloth should be applied as soon 

 as the edges of the first incision are raised, enough to admit of it. 

 This will answer the additional purpose of preventing the stretch- 

 ing of the skin. 



The next operation is to connect the two wings inside of the 

 skin by means of a string, which should be passed between the 

 lower ends of the two bones forming the forearm, previously, how- 

 ever, cutting off the stump of the arm, if still adhering at the ell)ow. 

 Tie the two ends of the strings so that the wings shall be kept at 



