TIME FOR PRESERVING. 



form. Spanish chestnut, or common laurel cut in 

 . December, will be found to answer best, but this must 



be regulated by fancy and the requirements of the 

 case ; oak boughs are sometimes of a good shape. 



The best time for preserving specimens is in spring, 

 because then the cock birds are in the best feather, 

 and the weather is not too warm. In mild weather 

 three days is a good time to keep a bird, as then the 

 skin will part from the flesh easily. If a specimen 

 has bled much over the feathers, so as to damage them, 

 wash them carefully but thoroughly with warm water 

 and a sponge, and immediately cover them with 

 pounded whitening, which will adhere to them. Dry 

 it as it hangs upon them slowly before the fire, and 

 then triturating the hardened lumps gently between 

 the fingers, the feathers will come out almost as clean 

 as ever. To test whether the specimen is too decom- 

 posed to skin, try the feathers about the auriculars, 

 and just above the tail, and if they do not move you 

 may safely proceed. 



Lay the bird on his back, and, parting the feathers 

 from the insertion of the neck to the tail, you will find 

 in most birds a bare space. Cut the skin the whole 

 length of this, and passing the finger under it on either 



