CAPONIZItfG HOW IT IS DOKE. 95 



at convenient places ; these are furnished with broad 

 tapes, by which the bird is securely held during the 

 operation. The best plan for a novice is to kill a bird 

 and operate upon that first, in order to learn the posi- 

 tion of the parts. Lay the dead bird upon the table, 

 dispose it as hereafter described, and then place the 

 screw-eyes where they would be needed to secure a live 

 fowl. 



" One or two will be required to hold the wings, and 

 one for each leg ; six will be all that will ever be neces- 

 sary. Place the bird upon the table and fasten it down 

 upon its left side, as shown at Fig. 55, where the rings 

 and tapes are seen. The spot where the opening is to be 

 made is shown by the x. Here the feathers are plucked, 



Fig. 56. SPRING HOOK. Fig. 57. HOOK, 



and an opening is made through the skin with a pair of 

 shart-pointed, long-bladed scissors. We have found 

 these better than a knife. The skin is drawn to one side 

 and an opening is made with the scissors between the 

 last two ribs for an inch and a half in length, great care 

 being taken not to wound the intestines. The ribs are 

 then separated by the spring hook (Fig. 56), so as to ex- 

 pose the inside. The intestines are gently moved out of 

 the way with the handle of a teaspoon, and the glands 

 or testicles will be seen attached to the back. The tissue 

 which covers them is torn open with the hook (Fig. 57) 

 aided by the tweezers (Fig. 58). 



" The gland is then grasped with the forceps (Fig. 59) 

 and the cord is held by the tweezers. The gland is then 



