30 SKINNING. 



Mr Salt, while iu Abyssinia, packed his bird-skins between 

 sheets of paper, in the same manner as a hortus siccus, or herb- 

 arium, and they reached this country in perfect safety, and 

 made excellent specimens when set up. In warm climates, 

 the boxes should be well closed, and the seams filled with 

 warm pitch, on the outside, to prevent the intrusion of insects ; 

 and the inside should be supplied with camphor, musk, or 

 tobacco-dust, which will prevent the attacks of the smaller 

 insects. 



Till practice has given facility to the operator, it will assist 

 in keeping the feathers clean, if, as he opens the skin of the 

 breast, he pins pieces of paper or linen cloth on the outside ; 

 but, after a few trials, this will be unnecessary. 



Some of the marine fowls are so fat, that there is much 

 trouble in separating it from the skin, and, in warm weather, 

 great attention will be required to prevent it from running on 

 the feathers. As much as possible should be scraped off, in 

 the first place, with a blunt table-knife or palate-knife, and a 

 quantity of powdered chalk applied, to absorb what remains, 

 which, when saturated with the oily matter, should be scraped 

 off, and a fresh supply used ; after which, a much larger pro- 

 portion of the preserving powder should be applied, than in 

 other birds which are not fat. 



When shooting on the seacoast, if the Ornithologist is not 

 provided with these requisites for absorbing the oil, which 

 Hows quickly from any wounds of the skin, he will find dry 

 sand a tolerable substitute. 



If, however, after every precaution, the oily matter should 

 get on the feathers, the sooner it is removed the better, as, in 

 birds where the plumage is white, if it is allowed to become 

 hardened, it will produce a very disagreeable appearance; 

 and, besides, render that part particularly liable to the attack of 

 insects. There are several effectual methods of removing 

 the greasy stains ; the first, safest, and best, is, by taking a 

 quantity of diluted ox- gall or where it cannot be commanded, 

 sheep's-gall, or that of any other animal mix it with about 

 double the quantity of water, and apply it with a sponge 

 to the place which the fatty matter has touched, when it 

 will immediately remove it. The next is by using a solution 

 of salt of tartar, or potash, or soda. This must be made 



