22 THE NATURALIST’S GUIDE. 
about three minutes, and the larger ones in a little longer 
time. 
Skinning. — First, have plenty of plaster near at hand. 
Remove the cetton from the mouth and vent, and place 
a fresh plug in the mouth alone. The method now about 
to be described is one that will apply to all birds, excepting 
those to be hereafter named. 
Place the bird upon its back; with the forefinger and 
thumb part the feathers on the abdomen, and a bare longi- 
tudinal space will be discovered, extending from the breast 
to the vent. With the scalpel divide the skin in the 
centre of this bare space, commencing at the lower part of 
the breast-bone, or sternum (Plate X. a), and ending at the 
vent. Now peel the skin off to the right and left, and 
sprinkle plaster upon the exposed abdomen. Force the 
leg on the right side up wader the skin, at the same time 
drawing the skin down until the joint (p) appears; cut 
through this joint and draw the leg out as far as the 
tarsus or first joint (k); with the point of the knife sever 
the tendons on the lower part of the leg, then by a single 
scraping motion upwards they may all be removed, com- 
pletely baring the bone ; treat the other leg in a like man- 
ner, leaving both turned ‘out as they were skinned. Place 
the finger under the rump near the tail, then with the 
scalpel cut through the backbone just in front of the coc- 
eygus (n) entirely through the flesh to the skin, —the 
finger beneath is a guide to prevent cutting the skin. This 
may be done very quickly after long practice, and there 
is no danger of severi4g the skin if proper care be used. 
Put on a fresh supply of plaster. Now grasp the end of 
the backbone firmly between the thumb and forefinger, 
and with the other hand pull the skin down on all sides 
towards the head, until the joint of the wing, where the 
last bone, or humerus (r), is joimed to the body, appears ; 
sever the bones at this joint, and draw the skin down 
