Guide to Taxidermy 



41 



the junction of the leg with the body. Grasp the 

 knee-joint with a finger and thumb of the left hand 

 upon either side^ and with the right push the leg up 

 through the skin so that the entire knee-joint will 

 be visible and the skin free all about it. Sever the 

 leg at this joint with the scissors. You now skin 

 this leg down nearly to the ankle joint, or as far as 

 the flesh extends ; remove all the flesh from the leg- 

 bone by cutting the tendons near the ankle and 

 stripping off" the flesh. Now go through precisely 

 the same operation on the opposite side of the bird, 

 and you will find that it will greatly facilitate your 

 work if the bird's liead is towards you during this 

 operation. 



Having cleaned both leg-bones, thrust them both 

 back into the skin in their normal position. 



Holding the body of the bird by the thighs, 

 separate, with the fingers, the skin from tlie flesli 

 towards its back and tail until your fingers meet on 

 both sides under the small of his back. You can 

 now sever the tail, with the scissors, at its junction 

 with the body taking care not to cut off" the ends of 

 the quills as this would loosen the feathers and let 

 them fall out. 



