6 SKINNING. 



for the manner of separating 1 the feathers, and using the 

 scalpel.) A sharp pen- knife,, or scalpel (see plate IV. fig. 1 

 and 2), must be inserted at the point of the bone, and cut the 

 outer skin from thence to the vent, taking care not to penetrate 

 so deep as the flesh, or upon the inner skin which covers the 

 intestines. The skin will then easily be separated from the 

 flesh ; in larger specimens, by the fingers, or, in smaller ones, 

 by passing a small blunt instrument betwixt the skin and body, 

 such as the end of the scalpel handle : with this you may reach 

 the back. The thighs should now be pressed inwards, as in 

 the common method of skinning a rabbit, and the skin turned 

 back, so far as to enable you to separate the legs from the 

 body, at the knee-joint. The skin is then pulled downwards, 

 as low as the rump, which is cut close by the insertion of the 

 tail, as shown at plate III. fig. 2, a ; but in such a manner as 

 not to injure its feathers. The skin is now drawn upwards the 

 length of the wings, the bones of which must also be cut at the 

 shoulder-joints (see plate I. fig. 1, a.) ; it is then pulled up, 

 till all the back part of the skull is laid bare, when the ver- 

 tebrae of the neck are separated from the head, from b. in plate 

 I. fig. 1. ; and the whole body is now separated from the skin. 

 You next proceed to remove the brain, through the opening of 

 the skull, for which purpose it may be enlarged by a hollow 

 chissel, or other iron instrument. The eyes must then be taken 

 out, by breaking the slender bones, which separate the orbits 

 from the top of the mouth, in which you may be assisted by 

 pressing the eyes gently inwards, so as not to break them. In 

 skinning the neck, great care must be taken not to enlarge 

 the opening of the ears, and not to injure the eyelids. The 

 whole of the flesh is next to be removed from the under man- 

 dible. 



Several species will not admit of the skin being thus pulled 

 over their heads, from the smallness of their necks; some 

 Woodpeckers, Ducks, Coots, &c. , fall under this description ; 

 in which case a longitudinal incision is made under the throat, 

 so as to admit of the head being turned out, which iftust 

 be neatly sewed up before stuffing. The flesh from the head, 

 wings, legs, and rump, must then be carefully removed with 

 a knife or scalpel, and the cavities of the skull filled with 

 cotton or tow. The whole inside of the skin, head, &c. , must 



