472 APPENDIX. 



that has been removed. A portion of stuffing should be placed in the skin of 

 the head and trunk, and the whole can be suspended to dry. 



Birds. First of all plug up with cotton wool the throat, nostrils, and all 

 shot holes. Place the specimen on its back, the head towards you. Break the 

 wing bones {humeri) near the body. Next separate the breast feathers care- 

 fully, and make an incision along the medial line from chest to vent ; having 

 done which turn back the skin and raise the specimen to a perpendicular posi- 

 tion, resting it on the vent. Now skin round the chest, cut through the neck, 

 windpipe and gullet, detach the wings from the body, and remove the skin all 

 down the back to the thighs. Push the thigh through at the same time, care- 

 fully drawing off the skin, and having cut the tendons near the tarsus remove 

 the muscle of the thigh in one piece, leaving the bone clean. This bone must 

 be cut near the femur joint, leaving the head of the bone, which is useless, with 

 the flesh attached to the thigh and body. Having treated both legs thus, skin 

 round root of tail ; but in cutting the vertebrae take care to leave the small bone 

 which supports the tail. The next operation is to turn back the skin of the 

 head with care so that the eyes and ears may not be injured. Cut away the 

 back part of the skull with neck, tongue and palate. Eemove the brain and 

 eyes, skin the wings and trim the tail, and the whole skin is in condition to be 

 cleaned and prepared. Having taken away all fat and superfluous flesh, dress 

 it with arsenical soap, bind tow in place of the muscles on the bones, and return 

 them to their places. It is not desirable to use powdered alum to bird skins, as it 

 tends to make them brittle. The specimen should be filled out to natural size, 

 and a band of paper placed round it in order to keep the wings and other parts 

 in proper position till dry. During the whole operation wood dust or other 

 dry powder should be freely employed to absorb blood and grease, so that the 

 plumage may be kept clean. 



THE END. 



BRADBURY, EVANS, AND CO., PRINTERS, WHITEFRIARS. 



