100 MANNER OF COLLECTING ANIMALS. 



CHAP. VI. 



OF THE CHASE, AND MANNER OF COLLECTING ANIMALS. 



QUADRUPEDS AND BIRDS. It is hardly necessary to recom- 

 mend a double-barrelled gun. One of the barrels should be 

 loaded with small shot, or dross of lead for small birds, and 

 the other with large shot. These should have much less pow 

 der than an ordinary charge, so as not to tear and injure the 

 animals. Paper, cotton, or flax, and powdered dry earthen 

 ashes should form part of the naturalist's stores. 



When a bird is killed, a small quantity of dry dust is put on 

 the wound. For this purpose, the feathers must be raised 

 with a pin, or a gun-picker, close to the wound. The bill of 

 the bird should have a small quantity of cotton or flax intro- 

 duced into it to prevent the blood from flowing, and spoiling 

 the plumage. The feathers must be all adjusted, and the bird 

 then placed on the ground to allow the blood to coagulate. 

 Every specimen should be placed in a piece of paper of the 

 form of a hollow cone, like the thumb bags used by grocers. 

 The head should be introduced into this, the paper should 

 then be closed around the bird, and packed in a box filled with 

 moss, dried grass, or leaves. 



Birds taken alive in nets and traps are to be preferred to 

 others for stuffing, and also those caught by birdlime, which 

 must be removed by spirits of wine. 



Birds should always be skinned the same day they are killed, 

 or next day at farthest, particularly in summer, as there is a 

 danger of putrefaction ensuing, by which the feathers will fall 

 off. However, in winter there is no danger for some days ; 

 but in tropical climates they must be prepared soon after they 

 are killed. The same observations apply generally to quad- 

 rupeds. 



Bats and Owls are caught during the day, in the hollows of 

 aged trees, in the crevices of walls, and ruins of buildings. 



