226 CAPONIZING FOWLS. 



CATOJTIZING FOWLS. 



The art of caponizing was practiced many centuries ago by 

 the ancients, and it is now practiced to some extent in all 

 countries. The French seem to be the most expert in the bus- 

 iness. Richardson says : 



The practice of the French country women is to select the close of 

 the spring, or the beginning of autumn, as well as fine weather, for 

 the performance of their work. The parts necessary to be removed, 

 being fixed in the abdomen, and attached to the spine at the region 

 of the loins, it is absolutely necessary to open the abdominal cavity for 

 the purpose of their extraction. The bird should be healthy, fasting, 

 and about three months old. lie is then to be secured by an assistant, 

 upon his back, his belly upwards, and his head down, that the intes- 

 tines, <fcc., may fall up toward the breast ; the tail is to be towards 

 the operator. The right leg is then carried along the body, and the 

 left brought backwards, and held in this position, so as to leave the 

 left flank perfectly bare, for it is there that the incision is to be made. 

 The said incision is to be directed from before backwards, transversely 

 to the length of the body, at the middle of the flank, and slightly to 

 the side, between the ends of the breast-bone and the vent. Having 

 plucked away the feathers from the space where it is intended to 

 make the incision, you take a bistoury or a razor, and cut through 

 the skin, abdominal muscles, and peritoneum ; it is better to do this 

 at two or more cuts, in order to avoid the possibility of wounding the 

 intestines a casualty that would, in most cases, be attended with 

 fatal results. The intestines present themselves at the orifice, but you 

 must not suffer them to come out; on the contrary, you press 

 them gently aside, so as to have room for action. I may observe, that 

 the incision should have been sufficiently large to admit of the fore- 

 finger, previously well oiled, being passed into the abdomen, and 

 carried carefully towards the lumbar region of the spine; you will 

 there find what you are in search of. You first reach the left substance, 

 which you detach with your nail, or with your finger bent hook- 

 fashion ; you then arrive at the right, which you treat similarly ; 

 bring both substances forth ; you finally return the intestines, sow 

 up the wound with a silk thread a very few stitches will suffice and 

 smear the place with a little fresh butter. Some persons recommend 

 the amputation of the comb, close to the skull of the newly made capon ; 

 but this is surely an unnecessary piece of torture a useless addition 

 to the sufferings of the poor bird. The proposed object of this 

 amputation is to insure the recognition of the capon amongst his 

 co-mates of the poultry-yard. Were such a distinctive mark neces- 

 sary, it strikes us that the operation must have been, so to speak, 

 thrown away ; inasmuch as the superior size and bulk of the capon 

 should, of themselves, be sufficiently indicative of his identity ; but 

 independent of these, I may observe that the comb of the capon does 

 not grow to any size, and always retains a pallid color. Should 

 it be proposed to caponize cocks belonging to varieties not natu- 



