| 
iY THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 127 
In shooting birds, it is of much importance not to use the 
shot too large ; indeed, it ought to be proportioned as nearly as 
possible to the size of the bird to be shot at. When the bird 
_ is killed, the blood must be carefully wiped away, and a little 
cotton must be put into the bili to prevent the blood flowing | 
| from it to injure the feathers. The wound should also be 
stuffed with cotton. 
Birds should be skinned as soon as possible, as the feathers | 
are apt to fall off if kept too long. Directions for skinning 
will be found at page 25. The os coccygis must be kept at- | 
tached to the skin. (See plate I., fig. 1, m,n.) If several 
individuals of the same species be killed, one should, if possi- 
ble, be preserved entire in spirits, with the whole muscles of 
the body. Ifthe bird has a fleshy crest, it ought to be preserv- 
_ ed in spirits. 
It is of the utmost consequence to procure the male, female, 
and young, and these at different ages besides, as many species 
are subject to great variety, in their progress from the young 
to the adult state. This is more particularly the case with 
Eagles and Hawks; many of which have been described as 
_ different species in their immature state. The eggs and nest 
should also be procured. (See page 58.) 
Reprites.—The chief thing to be attended to in skinning 
reptiles, is not to injure the scales; and in the Lizard kind, 
| care must be taken not to break the tail. But for all the 
_ smaller and middle sized species, the best mode is to preserve 
_ them in spirits ; and of the larger kinds which are skinned, the 
_ skeletons ought to be kept. The flesh should be taken away _ 
with knives and scalpels as well as possible, and the bones 
thoroughly dried, and packed in a box with cotton or grass, and 
they can be articulated after they are brought home. When 
the skeletons are too large, they may be separated into con- | 
venient parts for packing. 
FisHes.—Many species are common to all seas, but there are 
a vast number which are quite local. Unless, therefore, the tra- 
veller is certain of the frequency of those he meets with in 
his own country, he ought to bring them home. River and fresh 
water fishes generally are subject to great variety, every lake 
and river having varieties peculiar to itself, which the experi- 
enced fisher, or naturalist, can at once detect. It is, there- 
