22 



INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLECTORS 



water inside the skin which is then placed in a box or polythene bag. This 

 should be done after the preservative is applied. 



20. Stuffing and sewing skin. Select a rigid but thin stick that will reach 

 at least from eye to tail-tip of the specimen, and sharpen to a point. Bind for 

 about two-thirds of the length from the sharp end with cotton wool, leaving 

 the point exposed, and insert the point into base of skull, pushing well in until 

 it can be felt just under crown feathers. Lay bird on back. Make sure neck 

 is not unduly stretched and that legs and wings are right way round. Upper 

 arm bones should be positioned as in life with ends pointing towards neck. 

 Pack out neck and body with small pieces of cotton wool, symmetrically on 

 each side of stick. Keep the stick central to form a back-bone with lower 

 end protruding close to vent. Keep neck short. The skin of the neck tends 

 to shrink and a plug of cotton wool in the throat gives a fuller appearance. 

 Extra material can be inserted through mouth. 



Take needle and thread, knot end of thread to stop it slipping, and stitch up 

 incision working from breast to tail. Sew in zig-zag fashion, inserting needle 

 from inside of skin outwards, placing stitches near edges of incision but not so 

 close that they tear loose (fig. 15). Take care that feathers do not become 



Fig. 15. 



caught around the thread or trapped in the incision since these become 

 twisted and spoil the final appearance of the specimen. The edges of the 

 incision should be pulled together as stitching proceeds. Insert additional 

 packing material as necessary to ensure that the finished specimen will have a 

 firm body. The body removed during skinning gives an indication of the 

 amount of material required. Take the final stitch round the stick close to 

 the vent and then knot. 



Place the legs over the stick, slightly bent at the joints and crossed halfway 

 down the tarsus, so that the feet are clear of each other, and legs and feet 

 can be examined and measured easily, then tie legs to stick. Cut loop 

 of thread through nostrils, cross the ends round the lower mandible and tie 

 the bill shut, cutting off loose ends. The field label can be tied on now, 

 to the leg but not to the stick. Take care that subsequent data on sexing 

 are added to it (see section on labelling, p. 39). Fold wings in natural 



