10 ORNITHOLOGICAL \ v/> nnumir \I. COLLECTING. 



to the vent 1 (Plate 2, Fig. 1 a to it). Do not cut through the wall of the abdomen, for 

 the intestines, blood, etc., will come out and give you trouble. Now raise the skin 

 carefully along the cut until the muscles of the leg are visible; push gently, but 

 with sufficient force until the knee-joint protrudes, and cut it off here (Plate 2, Fig. 

 leaving the thigh attached to the body. 1 Most of the cutting from this point 

 until tho bird is finished may be done with the scissors. Skin the leg down to the 

 heel, strip the flesh off perfectly clean (Plate 2, Fig. 3 f) and poison thoroughly 

 with arsenical paste or arsenical soap (see formulas, page 7). n Proceed in the same 

 manner with the other leg, then loosen the skin down on the back as far as possible, 

 stand the bird on its breast, bend the tail and cut carefully through the tail joint 

 or pope's nose (Plate 2, Fig. 4 g). In doing this you will find it necessary to work 

 slowly and carefully in order to avoid cutting the skin. You may now hang the 

 specimen up on one of the hooks suspended from the ceiling. Be sure, however, to 

 leave enough of the pope's nose to hold the feathers fast. Skin down the body, cut 

 off one of the wings at the shoulder joint, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5 It, 

 Plate 2. Strip off the flesh from the humerus or upper arm bone and also the fore- 

 arm (ulna and radius) or double bones, detaching the secondaries of the wing down 

 to the carpus or wrist joint (Fig. 6 /, Plate 2). In the smaller birds, like the robin 

 for example, you may cut the wing-bones off at the dotted line* in Fig. 6, Plate 2, 



With a little care and gentle force, after hanging tho bird on the hook you can peel 



i<in down to the shoulder joint and there disjoint it without disturbing the feathers 

 to any great extent. 



The best bird artist I ever knew never broke the humerus in :u v win* in order to 

 facilitate the skinning of the bird. He skinned down the body completely as repres. 

 In Fig. 5. Plate 2. and exposed both upper arm bones; these were cu' off. skinned and 

 cleaned as seen In Fig. 6, Plate 2, leaving the other wing attached to th^ body, skinning it 

 down with the assistance of a second hook. 



In the smaller birds It Is well enough to rut tho wing off at the end of tin- humerus. 

 where the dotted lines show In tho upper portion of Fig. *,. Plate -. In .til of the larger 

 birds, however, the humerus should be allowed to remain attached to the ulna ami radius 

 as seen in Fig. 6, Plate 2. 



In all of the larger birds, the eagles, the hawks, owls, herons, pelicans, ducks, etc.. 

 be sure and leave all the wing-bones remain attached to one another and skin the wing 

 from the outside leaving the secondary feathers attached to the ulna of the forearm 

 as illustrated In Plate 4, Fig. 7. The reason of this will be further discussed when we are 

 ready to skin the wing of the subject we have on hand. 



CUT IX THK HACKS OF lUKDS.-In the grebes, loons, nulls and 



many of th- ducks I shall recommend making the opening cut along the hack, as this 

 will ii '-rve with more certainty the bc-uity <>f the underpants. 



WING THK LEGS OF IMKDS.- In skinnin of birds the rule is to 



skin down as far .is feathers prow or in all cases to the he, 1. The logs of many of the owls 

 should he skini)' is the base Of the toes which is as far as \\ . can reach 



from tho Inside. The legs In all hawks and eagles should be skinned to below the h- 

 EMOVTNO TI.XDONS FROM T.K<;s OF r.lHUS. The tendons in the 



v. ks. p-]i,ans, flamingoes and lar^o herons, down to the sl/,e of the Ani'-ri- 



- lurux IfntifinosMS (Montau.i. should In- tak'ii out. To do this make a cut 



In tho ball of the f.,ot and draw the tendons out \>y means of a hook turned on the end of 



It you ch"< i \ou may put a wooden handle on the wire ami 



"iir outfit. After making the slit In the ball of the fool I 



inch to the toes, take hold of them with 



iw them out. It requires much longer time to remove the tendons from 

 -,'cln which you 1. 1 than from a fresh bird. 



In making up Inrgo birds In the form of skins tho tendons should, l>y all means ho 

 fik<-n out and tho legs thoroughly poisoned, both to cure thorn and protect them against 

 tacks of It 



