[15] DIRECTIONS FOB COLLECTING BIRDS— lilDGWAY. 



tasteful to a sensitive person. But there can be no question that it is 

 far more merciful to dispatch at once a wounded bird than to delay 

 putting an end to its sufiering, When practicable, chloroform can be 

 used advantageously by simply saturating a handkerchief and holding 

 it tightly over the bird's head for a few moments, 



Care of specimem on reaching camp or quarters. — ^In very hot weather, 

 when specimens decompose rapidly, a drop of carbolic acid should be put 

 into the throat and another into the intestines, to retard decay. This is 

 most easily done by means of a ''swab," improvised of a small stick and a 

 little cotton, Care must be used not to allow the acid to come in contact 

 with the feathers. When camp or quarters are reached, the specimens 

 should be taken out of the cones, one at a time, carefully examined, 

 and the cotton in the throat removed and a fresh plug substituted. 

 If ever delay sldnning a specimen until it begins to bloat or until it begins to 

 smell oj^ensively, although, should it be impracticable to prevent this, 

 very desirable specimens should be skinned even in this condition, 

 The best way is to skin the birds as soon as possible, though in cold 

 weather they may of course be kept several days without danger of 

 decomposition. At the same time, however, allow a specimen to relax 

 somewhat before you begin skinning it, 



§4. PBEPARING AND PRESERVING SPECIMENS. 



How to skin birds. — Before the process of skinning is actually begun, 

 certain preliminaries are necessai-y, if the work is to go on smoothly, 

 A suitable table, stand, or workbench must first be provided and placed 

 in a good light, A pa^jer cover should then be put over it (an old news- 

 paper is as good as anything). Then the box containing the arsenic or 

 mixture of arsenic and alum; that containing the corn meal; the skin- 

 ning and stuffing implements ; the cotton, needle and thread ; labels or 

 tags; pencil, cleaning sponge and brush; cup of clean water, etc., are to 

 be placed in convenient i^ositions on the table, room for the specimen 

 and the hands of the operator being of course reserved. A basin of 

 water and towel, for cleaning and drying the hands, should also be 

 within reach. 



When everything is ready a label or tag should be securely fastened to 

 one leg of the specimen, and the locality and date, as well as a number, 

 inscribed on it, the same data being written in the collector's field cata- 

 logue, after the corresponding number. No measurements are necessary, 

 since all measurements of scientific value are best taken from the dried 

 skin, though in the case of very large birds (and smaller ones also, if the 

 collector has plenty of time) the total length and the spread of the fully 

 outstretched wings may be taken, and for convenience may be written 

 with the length first and the spread last, with a multiplication sign 

 between, thus, 36. x 81.50, the measurements being best taken in inches 

 and decimals. Then, if there are any noteworthy features as to color 



