4 



THE YOUNG ORNITHOLOGIST. 



holes and return the skin. A little 

 practice will show how this is done 

 better than a whole volume of printed 

 instructions. If much ditflculty is ex- 

 perienced a little soap will cause the 

 neck to easily slip over the head. 



Smooth the plumage and fill out the 

 body with stuffing. In filling out z skin 

 a small piece of cotton should be 

 made into a taper roll and the small 

 end pushed up into the throat of the 

 bird, then take a piece about the size 

 of the body and place in the skin, 

 draw the edges of the cut together 

 and fasten with a stitch of strong 

 thread. Cross the legs, place the 

 wings in position and put the skin on 

 its back in a drying form to dry. 

 With the tweezers shape the eyelid 

 round and pull out a little of the cot- 

 ton which you put in the eye holes, 

 just enough to keep the lids in place. 

 The drying forms are made of tin 

 bent into a semi-cylinder and their 

 cost is but a trifle, as they are made 

 from scraps of tin found in every tin 

 shop. 



Ducks and some woodpeckers re- 

 quire a little diffei'ent treatment. 

 After skinning as far as the head, 

 which is done in the sime manner as 

 I have attempted to explain above, cut 

 off the body and make a cut along the 

 top of the head. Skin the head 

 through this opening, clean the skull 

 as before, return to place and sew up 

 carefully. 



The specimen should be labeled 

 with sex, locality, date and name of 

 of collector. 



In your note book record extent 

 of wings, which is ascertained by 

 laving the bird on its back, spread- 



ing the wings and measuring the 

 distance from lip to tip ; color of 

 eyes, feet, and bill, and, if you 

 choose, contents of stomach. These 

 entries must be made (except the 

 last) in the field, while the bird is 

 fresh. 



A bird the size of a robin is the 

 best to begin on. 



By following the directions given 

 patiently and with the desire to learn, 

 I think any one can makes a bird 

 skin. The first attempts may be 

 crude, but with practice comes per- 

 fection. Never shoot more birds 

 then you can skin before they spoil. 

 Use No 12, or dust shot, with a light 

 charg-e of powder, for all small birds. 

 If any reader is in doubt about any 

 part of the operation, or wishes in- 

 formation on au}^ point, a letter ad- 

 dressed in care of the publisher 

 will reach me and receive prompt 

 attention. 



FLORIDA CORMORANT. 



I found the nest and eggs of this 

 bird on a small island, in the Homa- 

 sasa River, Florida, the 28th of April, 

 1884. • There were three greenish- 

 white eggs in the set, size 1.54 x2.27, 

 1.47x2.43, and 1.47 x 2.30. The 

 eggs were quite fresh. The nest was 

 in a mangrove tree, IG ft. up, and 

 composed of branches and mud. and 

 lined with sea-weed, dry grass and 

 leaves. , 



J. C. C 

 Taunton, Mass. 



