SKINNING BIRDS. 



especially \n front of the eyes. The eyes are to be picked out, and 

 the triangular portion of the skull, together with the flesh between 

 the jaws, and the brain is to be removed, leaving the sides and top 

 of the skull attached to the bill. The skin above the eyes and ears 

 is closely adherent by membran: to the bone and must be detached 

 with great care. 



In the general process of skinning after the first incision, little if 

 any use of the knife or scalpel is required, except to sever the legs, 

 tail, and wings, to work about the eyes and ears, and to remove the 

 base of the skull. The cutting may be bet- 

 ter done with the scissors than with the knife. 

 The skins of most birds slip off very easily 

 and can usually be detached with the thumb- 

 nail. 



In the cases of Woodpeckers some Ducks 

 and a few other birds, the heads of which are 

 too large in proportion to the caliber of the 

 neck to be skinned as heretofore directed, 

 this part must afterward be separately skin- 

 ned by an incision made from the outside 

 along the middle line of the skull. This is 

 done after the body has been severed from 

 the skull and the skin returned. 



If the above process has been properly 



conducted the skin has been turned inside' 



Skin Ready for Re- out. The Arsenical paste may now be ap- 



turning. plied by means of a brush to ez'e?y part of the 



skin. Especially the head, wings, legs and tail should be heavily 



coated with it. This paste takes the place of Aisenical Soap in 



aiding the skin to slip easily over the head. 



Now fill the eye sockets with pellets of cotton the size of the 

 bird's eye and the skin is ready to be turned right side out. 



Never "bung out" a bird's eyes by putting too much cotton in 

 the sockets or orbits, ^^particularly careful ahout this in Hawks 

 and Eagles, who have deep set eyes, which should be pressed in- 

 ward rather than distended. 



