178 THE naturalist's guide. 



I will once again refer to the poisonous gases engen- 

 dered by birds in progress oJ: decay. 1 have been 

 surprised to learn from competent physicians, that 

 little or nothing is known of the baneful effects of 

 this gas. Several years ago, when suffering from the 

 effects of it, I visited an old physician, and described 

 the symptoms to him. I was then ignorant of the 

 cause of my illness, so was not surprised when he in- 

 formed me that I had been poisoned with ivy {Rhus 

 toxicodendron). His treatment of the difiicuity, while 

 laboring under this mistake, had little or no effect. I 

 then consulted another doctor, who, although well 

 acquainted with my pursuits, also decided that I was 

 poisoned with some vegetable substance. His treat- 

 ment also failing, and being then convinced that both 

 were wrong, I discovered the cause for myself, and the 

 remedy, which is as stated on page 14. 



I now recommend the wide, thick shoes called army 

 shoes for collectors ; they are doubtless, the best in 

 summer; in winter either leather or rubber boots, ac- 

 cording to the season. 



I now use forms slightly different from those men- 

 tioned on page 18 ; these are strips of tin, rolled up in 

 half-cylinders, resembling a single section of those 

 figured in Plate IX., Figs. 1 and 2. 



Section III. Measuring/, Skinning, mid Preserv- 

 ing Birds. — In skinning small birds, time may be 

 saved by breaking off the end of the tibia ; then, by 

 stripping downwards and twisting, the muscles may 

 be all cut at once. The brains may be removed 

 much more easily by three cuts ; one down through 

 the base of the skull, as described, and two on each 

 side, beneath the skull ; these last meet under the eye 

 sockets ; thus a triangular piece is removed, to which 

 the brains adhere. 



