CAPON. 



CAPON. 



that they have found the old Chinese instru- 

 ments, a drawing of which is given in fig. 1, 

 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 pur- 

 pose of pushing the intestines out of the way, 

 an office very well performed by the handle of 

 a teaspoon. 



Fig. 1 represents the instruments used in 

 making capons, according to the Chinese me- 

 thod, reduced only about one-fourth their actual 

 sizes. 



a, a knife, the edge of which resembles that of a chisel with a hevel or slanting edge, half an inch in the 

 pri'Mrst width ; the other end or handle consists of two forcep blades terminating at a, a, in slender points, and 

 forming spring forceps. The whole length from the cultine edge to the end of the pliers is about six inches. 



r, c, two brond blunt hooks of silver or other metal, each half an inch in width and one and a half in length. 



'. an ehstii- l>n\\. six inches long, made of whalebone or ratan. about the thickness of a large quill, and split hori- 

 zontally 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. 



f, is a small rintr which encircles both portions of the bow. When the hooks are first put in and only half the 

 strength of the bow is required to act upon them, this rintr i-> slipped to the end e. But if the whole strength of 

 the bow is needed tn force the honks apart and stretch the wound open, the ring is passed towards the end d. 

 Thus, by means of the split bow and sliding ring, the strain upon the hooks can be increased or slackened at 

 pleasure. 



t. a tube of silver or other metal three or four inches long, made square at the upper, and flattened at the 

 lower end k, to the wi.lth of three-tenths of an inch; this tube is for the purpose of passing the fibre or hair 

 lifRtnre w, formlnf the loop . 



<r, a narrow curved spoon, the slender handle of which tapers off and has a steel point fitted into it, furnished 

 at the extremity with a very small hook, A ; the inner edge of this hook is sometimes sharpened. 



The Derating table contrived in Philadelphia, 

 and before referred to, is represented in the 

 following cut, fig. 2. 





This table may be about 2 feet long by 1 

 feet wide, and 2$ feet high. At two of its cor- 

 ners it can have a raised moulding about ^ an 

 inch high, extending along the sides six or nine 

 inches, for the purpose of placing the instru- 

 ments at one corner and at the other some of 

 the feathers under a stone, to keep them from 

 being blown away. On one side there is a 

 slit c passing through the table, about 1$ inch 

 long by an inch wide, running diagonally; 

 being about three inches from the end and 6 

 from the side. Through this slit the padded 

 band or soft list, d, d, for confining the wings, 

 passes below to be attached to the lever e. 

 This lever has a 4 or 5 Ib. weight hung to it, 

 and works on a screw or pin, by which it is 

 attached to the leg. When not in use the lever 

 rests on a pin or ledge in the other leg. On 

 being led down, the attached band clasps the 

 wings of the chicken lying on the table, with 

 greater or less force as the weight is drawn to 

 or from the end of the lever. The next thing 

 i to be described is the lever, h, upon the table, 



261 



