[13] DIKECTIONS FOR COLLECTING BIRDS RIDGWAY. 



§ 3. PEOOUEmG SPECIMENS. 



The collector having- provided himself with the kind of gun and am- 

 mnnitiou which seem according to his experience or judgment most 

 suitable, he should then place in his collecting- box or basket the follow- 

 ing implements and materials : 



(1) A considerable " wad " of raw cotton, for plugging shot-holes and 

 the throats of specimens. 



(2) An insect-powder bellows filled with corn meal, and an extra 

 quantity of the latter. 



(3) A supply of paper cones or " cornucopias." These are best made 

 of some moderately soft, bibulous paper, as newspaper or pamphlets. 

 Some collectors prefer making the cones as they are needed, and carry 

 with them folded newspapers or old pamphlets, but time will be saved 

 if the cones, or some of them at least, are made before starting. 



(4) A small bottle filled with strong carbolic acid. (This is needed 

 only in warm weather.) 



What to do icith birds after they are killed. — Immediately after a bird 

 is killed it should be picked up by the feet (never by the tail) and held 

 head downward to allow the blood to drain from the mouth, which may 

 be hastened by gently pressing the bird; "flip" off or otherwise care- 

 fully remove the blood clots which may adhere to the bill, feathers, or 

 other parts, and apply corn meal to absorb what may remain. In the 

 absence of corn meal clean sand will do, and in the case of birds with 

 white plumage plaster of Paris will answer, but should be carefully 

 removed before it becomes hard. The holes made by the shot, together 

 with the throat and the internal (but never the external) nostrils, should 

 be plugged with cotton, to prevent the escape of blood and the juices 

 of the stomach. Before plugging the throat a small quantity of corn 

 meal or clean sand should be inserted, as this will absorb the blood, etc., 

 and prevent its escaping around the cotton.* Should an eye be broken 

 by the shot, the liquid should be carefully pressed out and what can 

 not be otherwise removed absorbed with corn meal or sand, as nothing 

 is more difficult to remove from feathers after it once becomes dry. 



It is very important that as much pains be taken as time and other 

 circumstances will allow to clean blood and other stains from the plum- 

 age before becoming dry, as neglect of this precaution will in the end 

 involve far greater loss of time or perhaps necessitate loss of the speci- 

 men itself. 



In very warm weather, before the throat is plugged the gullet should 

 be swabbed with carbolic acid by saturating a small wad of cotton 

 which has previously been wrapped around the end of a small stick, 



* Perhaps a still better plan is to push one plug of cottou down the gullet nearly to 

 the stomach, before the throat plug is inserted, to preveut the juices of the latter from 

 collecting in the throat, since, if allowed to do so in warm weather, they cause the 

 feathers to slough oif. 



