J 96 THE TICTOEIAN NATURALIST. [Tol. XXIII. 



from point to point of the jaws, so as to liberate a tri- 

 angular piece of bone. Clear out the brains through the 

 hole thus made. Remove the eyes. Dress the skull 

 inside and out with the arsenical soap. Fill the eye- 

 sockets with wadding, and the brain cavity with tow, cut 

 into short lengths. Dress the skin of the head and neck 

 with the arsenical soap. Now turn the skin back, so that 

 the cotton left on the bill can be secured, and draw the 

 he^d back into the skin. Smooth the feathers on the 

 head, and arrange the eyelids nicely with the point of a 

 needle. Now secure the end of the wing and draw it 

 out, pressing the skin off with the thumb-nail. When 

 the first joint is clear, push the large feathers off the 

 double bone, and the under side will clear itself. As 

 soon as the last joint is reached, clean the flesh off the 

 double bone, remove the first piece at the joint, tie a piece 

 of fine string to the end of the double bone, leaving a 

 piece about 6 inches long hanging. Dress the bone and 

 skin with preserve, and return the bone to its place by 

 simply lifting it by the long feathers. Treat tjie second 

 wing similarly. Lav the skin on its back, and by the aid 

 of the strings draw the ends of the wing bones until they 

 almost touch in a small bird, but about a quarter of an 

 inch apart in a rosella parrot, tie the strings, and cut off 

 any surplus. Draw out the leg bones, dress them with 

 the preserve, wrap a little wadding round the bone to 

 form the thigh, dress the skin with preser^-e, and 

 draw the bone back into its place ; smooth the 

 feathers down the thigh. Treat the other leg 

 similarly. Now lay the bird on its back, and, whilst 

 holding the skin open with one hand, dress the whole of 

 tlie inside wdth the preserve, taking care to push the 

 brush well up the neck. Make a pointed stick, and wrap 

 a little wadding round it, and press the point well into 

 the back of the skull, taking care that the skin is not 

 caught on the point. Fill up the body with wadding, 

 sew up the breast, always taking care to insert the needle 

 on the skin side. With a few stitches the skin can be 

 drawn together. Ascertain the sex of the bi'rd by cuttin? 

 it open. If a female, tie the left leg over the right ; but 

 if a male, the right over the left. Smooth and arrange 

 the feathers, and push it gently head first into a paper 

 cylinder to dry. Number, date, and catalogue. 



