CAPONIZING FOWLS. 343 



done before July, as it has been remarked that Capons made 

 later than this, never prove so fine. 



Cockerel confined for Caponizing. 



All things being in readiness, the first step to be taken is 

 to confine the Fowl to a table or board, by laying him with 

 the left side downward, the wings drawn behind the rump, 

 the legs extended backward, with the upper one furthest drawn 

 out, and the head and neck left perfectly free, as denoted in 

 the above cut. The feathers are next to be plucked from the 

 right side, near the hip joint, on a line with, and between, the 

 joint of the shoulder, as at a. The space uncovered, may be 

 from an inch to an inch and a half in diameter, according to 

 the size of the bird. 



After drawing the skin off the part, backward, so that, when 

 left to itself when the operation is completed, it will cover the 

 wound in the flesh, make an incision with the bevel-edged 

 knife, at the end of the forceps, between the last two ribs, 

 commencing about an inch from the back-bone, and extending 

 it obliquely downward, from an inch to an inch and a half, 

 just cutting deep enough to separate the ribs, taking due caie 

 not to wound the intestines. 



