14 THE NATURALIST'S GUIDE. 



results; the slightest scratch upon the skin becomes a fes- 

 tering sore. Once poisoned in this manner (and I speak 

 from experience), one is never afterwards able to skin any 

 animal that has become in the least putrid, without ex- 

 periencing some of the symptoms above described. Even 

 birds that you handled before with impunity, you cannot 

 now skin without great care. 



The best remedy in this case is, as the Hibernian would 

 say, not to get poisoned, — to avoid skinning all birds that 

 exhibit the slightest signs of putrescence ; this is especially 

 to be guarded against in warm weather, and in hot cli- 

 mates, where I have seen a single hour's work upon putrid 

 birds nearly prove fatal to the careless individual. 



If you get poisoned, bathe the parts frequently in cold 

 water; and if chafed, sprinkle the parts, after bathing, 

 with wheat flour. These remedies, if persisted in, will effect 

 a cure, if not too bad ; then, medical advice should be pro- 

 cured without delay. 



It is just as easy to skin fresh birds as putrid ones, 

 and much pleasanter, and in this way the evil will be 

 avoided. If it is necessary to skin a putrid bird, — as in 

 the case of a rare specimen, — a good bath of the hands 

 and face in clear, cold water will entirely prevent the 

 poison from taking effect, provided the skinning is not 

 protracted too long. But generally, if the bird is putrid, 

 I would advise the collector to throw it away, and obtain 

 others that are safer to skin. 



If birds and mammals are injected, by means of a small 

 glass syringe, with a small quantity of carbolic acid at the 

 mouth and vent, it will prevent decomposition from taking 

 place immediately. After injecting, the mouth and vent 

 should be plugged to prevent the acid from staining the 

 feathers. Birds injected in this way for three successive 

 days will continue fresh for a long time, and, if kept in a 

 dry place, will harden completely without decomposing. 



