Ornithology. 37 



fighting, the power of whose wings is greatly augmented by 

 such a reduction of surface. 



To those who may have a menagerie or a decoy, or wish 

 to preserve the larger birds in confinement, it may be useful 

 to know how to perform amputation upon that part of the 

 wing of a bird, which will effectually prevent its escape, in as 

 expeditious a manner, and with as little pain and risk as pos- 

 sible. 



The usual method is that of cutting off a portion of the 

 wing by a strong pair of s(;issors, or shears, and then with a 

 red hot iron, searing the part, in order to stop the effusion of 

 blood. The operation thus performed is tedious, painful, and 

 not always attended with success; for as the principal artery 

 contracts upon cutting the flesh, the part has been known to 

 be grilled for ten minutes with a red hot poker, without clos- 

 ing the mouth of the artery, and the bird die in consequence 

 of the loss of blood. 



Supposing then, that only eight or nine of the greater quills 

 are wanted to be taken off, which is sufficient for the duck 

 tribe, the place for amputation is at i. For short-winged 

 birds, such as the partridge, the operation is best performed 

 at k, for these birds can rise a considerable way from the 

 ground with the loss only of part of the primary quills. 



In order to perform the operation at either of these places, 

 the operator should be furnished with a long needle and 

 coarse strong thread, which should be used double. Let the 

 bird be held by an assistant, and having cut away the small 

 feathers of the wing at the part intended to be amputated, 

 pass the needle through between the two bones, as close as 

 possible to the lesser one, taking the inside of that bone for 

 guiding the point of the needle. Return the needle on the 

 opposite side of the great bone, a little within the skin, then 

 bring the two ends together, and make a double turn in the 

 first knot, to prevent slipping after tying, and draw the knot 

 strongly, so as to form a ligature upon the vessels, and then 

 tie a second knot. It will be obvious that by this ligature 

 the larger bone and the greater part of the flesh are inclosed, 

 and as the main artery, or its principal branch, lies on the 

 inside of that bone, amputation may then be performed with 

 safety, and the ligature need never be removed. It now only 

 requires to place the wing on a block of wood, and with a 

 sharp knife and a hammer, to take the pinion off about the 

 eighth of an inch below the ligature. 



It will be readily perceived that a ligature tied round the 

 two bones would not compress the main artery ; besides, by 



