A SELF-SUPPORTING HOME 



left hand; open the beak by pressing at the 

 sides between thumb and finger, and with a 

 French killing knife stab up into the extreme 

 back of the roof of the mouth. Give a quick 

 turn to the left and withdraw the knife. 

 Leave the bird suspended for a few minutes 

 before taking the feet from the noose. 



Plucking must be done at once. Commence 

 with the long wing and tail feathers; then 

 from the shanks, down the inside of the 

 thigh, and over the breast to the neck. Take 

 only a few feathers at a time ; grasp as closely 

 to the skin as possible, and pull quickly tow- 

 ards the head. At first it may be difficult 

 to remove the feathers without tearing the 

 skin, but a little assurance and some practice 

 will render it quite easy. After the feathers, 

 all pin-feathers or quills have to be extracted. 

 Then hang the bird up to become quite cold 

 before drawing; but don't delay more than 

 two hours. 



Cut off the head with a sharp knife, leaving 

 about three inches of the neck, slit the skin at 



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