BIRDS. 9 



When the head is of such a size that the skin of the neck 

 cannot be drawn over it, as is the case with the flamingo 

 and most web- footed birds, it will be necessary to make an 

 incision in the neck near the base of the skull and through it 

 remove the brain, etc. This is an operation of considerable 

 nicety as the feathers are very liable to get daubed. In case, 

 however, any blood, brain or feculent matter should get on the 

 feathers, it should be carefully removed by a cloth dampened 'in 

 warm water. Grebes, and other water fowl with white silky 

 bellies are sometimes skinned from an incision in the back. 

 In this way the feathers are less liable to be daubed and to be 

 stained by the oil of the body when in the cabinet. 



Humming birds from their diminutive size are not easily 

 skinned. They may, however, be preserved by making an in- 

 cision on the belly and removing as much of the soft parts as 

 possible with the forceps and scissors. The skin should then 

 be thoroughly poisoned and filled with cotton wool or tow. 



On the label attached to each bird should be information 

 as to the following points : 



Exact locality, date of capture, sex, food (ascertained by 

 an examination of crop and gizzard) color of the eyes, feet, 

 bill, gums, membranes, caruncles, etc. Attitude of body when 

 at rest. Does the bird perch or not ? The length in inches 

 from the tip of bill to the end of tail, the distance between 

 the extremities of the outstretched wings and the length of 

 the wing from the carpal joint. 



Should it be desired to mount the specimen, information 

 on the following points will aid the taxidermist in giving the 

 proper position. 



