3. PREPARING SKINS 21 



17. Removing fat. Remove any fat layers and any remaining flesh left 

 attached to skin. At certain times of year many birds develop fat layers 

 under the skin and to remove these scrape repeatedly, applying frequent 

 dustings of powder to soak up the fat, and making sure that the tissues holding 

 the fat are broken down. The back of a scalpel blade is useful for such 

 scraping. 



Ducks may have fat layers up to a quarter of an inch thick, with the feather 

 bases embedded in them, and if the skin is not to become useless in later 

 years this must be removed. Again continual scraping and dusting is 

 necessary and a small wire brush is very useful in helping to break down the 

 tissues holding the fat. 



18. Removing leg tendons. In order to prevent later decay the leg 

 tendons should be removed from the larger birds, and large-footed birds such 

 as water birds and raptors. A deep cut is made in the sole of each foot, the 

 points of strong forceps or a probe inserted under the exposed tendon (fig. 14) 



jftW 



Fig. 14. 



and the tendon levered firmly to extract the ends severed while cleaning the 

 upper leg bones. The tendon can then be cut at the lower end and the 

 tendon canal packed with preservative. Tendons should also be removed 

 from beneath the toes of birds with large fleshy feet, and with such birds a 

 slit should also be made in the joint of the leg so that a preservative can be 

 inserted. 



19. Applying preservative and preparing for stuffing. Apply preservative 

 thoroughly to all the inner surfaces of the skin. If the skin has dried out in 

 places moisten with water so that it is pliable before applying preservative. 

 Turn legs and wings the right way out, carefully easing the skin over the 

 thighs and opening the wings and folding them away in their natural position. 

 The body is now ready for stuffing. 



At this point it is advisable to clean the table or surface on which skinning 

 is taking place, discarding fragments of flesh and tissues which might soil the 

 finished skin, and placing the body carefully on one side for sexing (see p. 27). 



At this stage, if it is impossible to stuff immediately, the skin can be left for 

 a short period, overnight for example, provided that it is not allowed to dry 

 out. This can be overcome by putting a cotton wool pad moistened with 



