40 



Guide to Taxidermy 



witliout cutting into the flesh at all except to dis- 

 joint legs, tail and wings. 



Grasp the edge of the severed skin on the left 

 side of the breast, with thumb and fore-finger nails 

 (or the tweezers if you prefer) and gradually turn 

 it back, pushing the flesh away from the skin with 

 tlie blade of the scalpel, which, of course, is always 

 held in the right hand. (We give these instructions 

 for right-handed persons and many of the opera- 

 tions would have to be reversed for a "left- 

 hander.") 



The skin on most of our birds sej^arates very 

 easily from the flesh and does not require any cut- 

 ting; exceptions to this are the ducks and others ov 

 the diving-birds, on which the skin and flesh have 

 to be separated almost entirely by cutting. (It is 

 well to avoid birds of this nature until you are 

 quite proficient with other birds). 



It must be borne in mind that from the time you 

 make your first cut, all exposed surfaces either of 

 skin or flesh must be kept sprinkled with the saw- 

 dust or meal. This will absorb any moisture or 

 juices and keep the feathers clean. 



You will have separated the skin and flesh on 

 your bird for but a short distance before vou reach 



