THE PEOPLE'S PRACTICAL POULTRY BOOK. 



145 



the tools are in fault, and sets about to improve them and invent others ; but 

 it may be only himself that lacks skill, which practice alone can give. Those 

 who have devoted much time and attention to the subject say that they have 

 found the old Chinese instruments, illustrations of which are herewith given, 

 preferable to all others. In addition to these instruments, a regular Chinese 

 set contains a flat kind of spatula something like the upper part of a spoon 

 handle. This is about four inches long and half an inch wide, and slightly 

 curved at each end in opposite directions. It is for the purpose of pushing 

 the intestines out of the way, an office very well performed by the handle 

 of a teaspoon. The engravings given below represent the instruments used 

 in making capons, according to the Chinese method, reduced only about 

 one-fourth their actual sizes. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE IMPLEMENTS TO BE USED. 



, a knife, the edge of which resembles that of a chisel with a bevel or 

 slanting edge, half an inch in the greatest width ; the other end or handle 

 consists of two forcep blades terminating at #, a, in slender points, and form- 

 ing spring forceps. The whole length from the cutting edge to the end oi 



DESCRIPTION OF IMPLEMENTS USED. 



the pliers is about six inches, c, c, two .broad hooks of silver or other metal, 

 each half an inch in width and one and a half in length, ft, an elastic bow, 

 six inches long, made of whalebone or ratan, about the thickness of a large 

 quill, and split horizontally into two pieces. To the ends of this bow the 

 broad hooks are attached by strong cords about half an inch long. At the 

 end <#, the cord embraces only the lower half of the split bow, whilst both 

 pieces are included in the string, at the end e. /, is a small ring which en- 



