100 



PRACTICAL TAXIDEEMY. 



holds the tail feathers, and remove the skin to the wings, 

 cuttino- through them where broken. Flay to below the 

 eyes^ cut olf the neck, close to the head, and remove 

 the triangular lower portion of 

 the skull, taking out the brains, 

 Eemove the eyes, by sliding the 

 brain-spoon under them, with a 

 circular motion. Cut away all 

 flesh from the skull, leg, and wing 

 bones, unjointing the broken 

 main bones of the wings from the 

 double bones or fore-arms. In 

 preparing some species of birds, 

 with large heads and small necks, 

 such as Avood-ducks, green-wing 

 teal, some species of woodpeckers, 

 cockatoos, etc., it is best to open 

 the scalp from the outside after 

 the body has been severed from 

 the skull and the skin returned. 

 The incision may be made length- 

 wise of the head, back of the eye, 

 or along the top of the head ; 

 the latter mode is much more 

 desirable for birds with crests. 

 Pass a thread between the bones 

 of both wings, and draw them 

 nearly together, and tie in posi- 

 tion. Dust the whole fleshy side 

 of the skin freely with dry arsenic, 

 crowd the eye-holes full of cot- 

 ton, wrap the leg-bones with the 

 same, draw them back in natural 

 position, and return the skin. Should the neck become 

 stretched, and difiicult to return, soap will cause it to slip 

 over the head readily. 



