BULLETIN 39, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. [18] 



particulars. Most woodpeckers aucl ducks, foriustauce, bave the bead 

 so laucb larger tban the neck, tbat it is quite impossible to skiu over 

 tbe bead by the ordinary method. In such cases the neck should be 

 cut off before the skull is reached, and the skin turned "right side out;" 

 then make an incision from the top of the occiput down to the base of 

 the skull and skin the head through this opening. Of course the in- 

 cision should be sewed together after the skinning is completed, or at 

 least after the specimen has been stuffed. Pigeons, cuckoos, and some 

 ducks, as well as other birds, have the skin very tender, and adhering 

 so closely to the rump and lower part of the back (sometimes the breast 

 also), that its separation is a matter of very great difficulty. Such 

 birds shouUl be kept until they are fully relaxed before work on them 

 is commenced, and the operation of skinning should be done with ex- 

 treme care. 



In warm weather or iu hot countries very large birds (as herons, 

 cranes, hawks, etc.) should have an incision made below the heel (tibio- 

 tarsal) joint and the tendons cut off; then, by making another incision 

 on the sole of the foot the tendons can be drawn out. The space made 

 by the removal of the tendons sliould be filled with arsenic. This will 

 prevent fermentation of the juices in the leg and generation of gases, 

 which so often cause the skin to "blister" or separate, thus entirely 

 ruining the specimen for mounting. 



Birds having a pure white and very compact plumage on the lower 

 parts should be skinned through an incision made under one wing, 

 along the side, or on the back, which will be found very easy after a 

 little practice. 



Poisoning thesJcin. — The skinning and cleaning of the specimen having 

 been completed,* the next thing is to apply the preservative. For this, 

 as has already been stated, only arsenic or a mixture of arsenic and 

 l)owdered alum should be used. This may be applied either dry or as a 

 paste, by mixing with alcohol or water (alcohol being preferable). If 

 the dry powder is used, it should be kept in a shallow box large enough 

 to hohl a medium-sized bird, and while the skin is in every part turned 

 " wrong side out," it should be laid upon the arsenic and the latter ap- 

 plied thickly to every part, care being taken to put plenty of the poison 

 about the head, particularly close up to the base of the bill, about the 

 lower end of the denuded wing and leg bones and about the base of 

 the tail. This is best done with the foot of a common rabbit (or, better 

 still, that of the northern species, which has longer hair on the soles); 

 but if one can not be had, a substitute may be made by securely tying 

 a wad of cotton to the end of a stick. After the skin is covered with 

 the arsenic (which should be applied while its inner surface is moist),t 



* Special instructions for cleaning bloody, greasy, or otherwise soiled specimens are 

 given on pages 19 to 21. 



t If the sliin has become dry it may be moistened by gently touching the surface 

 ■with a wot sponge; but if the paste is used, this is of course unnecessary. 



