SKINNING AND PREPARING QUADRUPEDS. | 
penguin, dabchick, and some others, whose natural position is | 
nearly upright, and their breast plumage thick, white, and 
feathery ; from their upright attitude, sewing up the breast would 
leave a very obvious mark in the pure white plumage. To | 
obviate this defect, the cut is sometimes made in the side under 
the wing; I myself prefer making it in the back, where I 
can rely on finding plumage to conceal the stitches. In other 
respects the process is the same; but all sea-birds being very 
oily in their flesh, it is more necessary with them to use some 
absorbent for the fatty matter and blood—a subject I have 
purposely avoided, in order to prevent confusion in my descrip- 
tion of the different processes. 
There are, indeed, several modes of performing the operation 
of skinning, differing in their details, but alike in all essentials, 
the object being to obtain cleanliness, and avoid soiling the 
plumage. Mr. Waterton employs for this purpose soft cotton- 
wool, with which he covers the carcase up to the knife, pushing 
it forward as the skin is raised; others use burnt alum pounded 
to a powder, and flour of sulphur. The French naturalists use | 
powdered plaster of Paris. For my own part, from long prac- | 
tice, I can skin almost any animal without the slightest stain 
on the plumage; but to those who have not had my experience 
I would recommend plaster of Paris, as perfectly efficient, and, 
being the least offensive powder. It should not be too copiously | 
applied, but just dusted over the body as the skin is removed 
in sufficient quantity to absorb the moisture, and no more. 
It is also useful in removing any stain from the plumage, | 
and is easily brushed off when dry. 
Mr. Waterton also uses corrosive sublimate dissolved in | 
spirits of wine as a substitute for the arsenical soap, and this 
composition is strongly recommended by other naturalists, | 
but I have not found anything so perfectly satisfactory as 
M. Bécour’s soap. At the same time let me remind the reader 
that it is a very deadly poison, and should be applied with 
great caution, with gloves, on the hands, kept for the purpose, 
to prevent its getting under the nails or other parts, and that | 
it should never be suffered to be about within the reach of 
children or animals; moreover, that it should always be marked 
* poison ” on the jars. 
SKINNING AND PREPARING QUADRUPEDS. | 
The fox admits of most picturesque attitudes and accesso- 
ries, and will admirably serve our purpose as an example. 
a nihy 




