BULLETIN 39, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



[8] 



Tongne-bones or hyoid of a. Great Blue 



Fig. 8.— Eye- 

 bones, sclero- 

 tala.of aOreat 

 Blue Herou. 



will serve to keep out the Dermestes which would otherwise attack 



these places. 



The hyoid bones, which sup- 

 port the tongue and are attached 

 to the windpipe, should be saved, 

 as should also the wiudiiipe itself 

 whenever, as in many ducks, it 

 has bony structures developed in 

 part of its length. 

 In many birds, and especially in birds of prey, there is a 

 ring of bones surrounding the pupil of the eye. It is there- 

 fore best — unless you are an expert — not to remove the eye- 

 ball, but to simply i^uucture it to allow the escape of its 

 fluid contents. 



Eemove the brain carefully. 



In making the skeleton into a bundle for pack- 

 ing, bend the neck backward, detaching the 

 skull if necessary, and fold the legs and wings 

 closely alongside of the body. 



SPECIAL POINTS. 



Cormorants have a small bone attached to 

 the back of the skull, and in Auks and many 

 similar birds there is a small bone at the el- 

 bow. 



Sometimes there is a little bone at the hinder 

 angle of the lower jaw, so that it is a good rule 

 not to trim up a bird's skull too closely. 



The easiest, and in many ways best, way to 

 collect small birds is to place them entire in 

 alcohol first making an incision in the lower, 

 j)art of the abdomen to allow the alcohol to reach 

 the viscera. 



Alcohol should not be used of full strength 

 (95°), the proper proportion being one- quarter 

 water and three-quarters alcohol. 



TURTLES. 



In order to rough out a turtle it is usually 

 necessary to remove the under shell or plastron, 

 although some species, such as certain of the 

 large land tortoises, can be roughed out with- 

 out doing this. 



In sea turtles and a few others the plastron can be cut loose by taking 

 a little time to the operation, but in the more solidly built tortoises and 



Pio. 9.— Skeleton of a bird 

 ready for packing. 



