TAXIDERMY 



105 



knife make an incision from the lower end of the breast- 

 bone to the root of the tail (Fig. 16), being careful not 

 to penetrate the abdomen. 



Pick up the edge of the skin, either with the fingers 



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Fig. 16. 



or with the forceps, and separate it from the body down 

 towards the back until the leg is exposed ; snip this off 

 at the knee-joint (between femur and tibia) (Fig. 17), 

 and completely separate it from the body. 



Repeat this on the other side. Now cut carefully 

 round the root of the tail and cut this off from the body 





Fig. 17. 



being careful not to cut through the roots of the tail 

 feathers, which, in consequence, will drop out ; but cut 

 only through the bone (caudal vertebra) which lies 

 between (Fig. 18). 



