CAPONISING FOWLS. 257 



Then, adjust and apply the retractor by means of 

 the small thumb screw, and stretch apart the wound 

 sufficiently wide to afford room to examine the parts 

 to be removed. 



Then, with the scalpel or a sharp penknife, care- 

 fully cut open the skin, or membrane, covering the in- 

 testines, which, if not sufficiently drawn up, in con- 

 sequence of the previous confinement, may be pushed 

 forward towards the breast bone, by means of the bowl 

 of the spoon-shaped instrument, or, what would an- 

 swer equally well, with the handle of a teaspoon. 



As the testicles are exposed to view, they will be 

 found to be connected with the back and sides by 

 means of a thin membrane, or skin, which passes over 

 them. This tender covering must then be seized with 

 the forceps, and torn open with the sharp-pointed hook, 

 at the small end of the spoon-shaped instrument, after 

 which, with the left hand, introduce the bowl of the 

 spoon under the lower, or left testicle, which is gen- 

 erally a little nearer to the rump than the right one. 



Tiien take the double canula, adjust the hair loop, 

 and, with the right hand, pass the loop over the small 

 hooked end of the spoon, running it down under the 

 bowl of the spoon containing the testicle, so as to bring 

 the loop to act upon the part which connects the tes- 

 ticle to the back. Then, by drawing the ends of the 

 hair loop backward and forward, and at the same time 

 pushing the lower end of the tube, or canula, towards 

 the rump of the fowl, the cord, or fastening of the tes- 

 ticle, is severed. 



A similar process is then to be repeated with the 

 uppermost, or right testicle, after which, any remains 

 of the testicles, together with the blood at, or around, 

 the bottom of the wound, must be scooped out with 

 the bowl of the spoon. The reason for cutting out the 

 left testicle first, is to prevent the blood, which may 

 issue, from covering the one remaining, and rendering 

 it more difficult to be seen. 



After the preceding operation is performed, which, 



