34 THE NATURALIST'S GUIDE. 



the rump without loosening the feathers; but this difficulty 

 will be overcome by using particular care while skinning the 

 spot that is tender. Some birds also have tender skin on 

 the breast, and in such cases it almost always adheres so 

 closely to the flesh that it is necessary to cut it away; 

 this operation is somewhat tedious, but it is better than 

 to risk tearing the skin by pulling it. An example of this 

 is sometimes seen in the Wood Duck. 



The best time to skin a bird is as soon as it is shot,, 

 when the muscles are relaxed, as the plumage is then in 

 the best condition. In a short time the muscles become 

 rigid, when it is extremely difficult to remove the skin ; 

 but the muscles soon relax again, and then you must skin 

 at once, as this is the first stage — or the state imme- 

 diately preceding the first stage — of decomposition. In 

 very warm weather this rigidness of the muscles sel- 

 dom occurs, then the bird rapidly decomposes. In warm 

 weather, birds should be kept on ice until wanted; for if 

 a bird remains only an hour in a warm room, or in the 

 sun, it will sometimes spoil, especially if the blow-flies 

 are allowed access to it. There is a species of blow-fly 

 that is viviparous ; I have seen such a fly alight upon 

 a fresh bird, and, after introducing her ovipositor into the 

 mouth of the specimen, exude an immense number of liv- 

 ing, though minute, maggots. These maggots spread over 

 the skin in all directions, moistening it with their slimy 

 bodies, and soon render the specimen unfit for use by 

 loosening the feathers. 



It is difficult to remove the eggs of the common blow- 

 fly when they are once placed upon the feathers. It is 

 much better to prevent the flies from attacking specimens 

 — which, if they are exposed during warm weather, they 

 will do very quickly — by covering them, or placing them 

 immediately upon ice. 



Section IV. Mounting Specimens. — Almost any one 



