WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA 329 



hole under each foot, a little way up the leg; and 

 having fixed two proportional spikes on the 

 branch, you can, in a moment, transfer the bird 

 from your finger to it, and from it to your finger, 

 at pleasure. 



When the bird is quite dry, pull the thread out 

 of the knees, take away the needle, &c., from under 

 the bill, and all is done. In lieu of being stiff 

 with wires, the cotton will have given a consid- 

 erable elasticity to every part of your bird; so 

 that, when perching on your finger, if you press 

 it down with the other hand, it will rise again. 

 You need not fear that your hawk will alter, or 

 its colours fade. The alcohol has introduced the 

 sublimate into every part and pore of the skin, 

 quite to the roots of the feathers. Its use is two- 

 fold. 1st. It has totally prevented all tendency to 

 putrefaction ; and thus a sound skin has attached 

 itself to the roots of the feathers. You may take 

 hold of a single one, and from it suspend five times 

 the weight of the bird. You may jerk it; it will 

 still adhere to the skin, and, after repeated trials, 

 often break short. 2dly. As no part of the skin 

 has escaped recei\dng particles of sublimate con- 

 tained in the alcohol, there is not a spot exposed 

 to the depredation of insects, for they will never 

 venture to attack any substance which has re- 

 ceived corrosive sublimate. 



You are aware that corrosive sublimate is the 

 most fatal poison to insects that is known. It is 

 antiputrescent ; so is alcohol; and they are both 

 colourless; of course they cannot leave a stain 

 behind them. The spirit penetrates the pores 

 of the skin with wonderful velocity, deposits 



