130 POULTRY 
swung back over the cord, binding between 
it and the legs of the bird. This holds the 
bird, although no knot is made. 
The knife to be used in killing should be 
sharp and have a thin, narrow point. The 
head of the bird is held firmly between the 
thumb and first finger, the knife run down 
the throat to a point just beyond the eye, 
and an incision made on the inner, lower side 
of the throat so that the blood flows freely. 
Then the knife is turned and the end of it 
is forced into the skull at a point just back 
of the eye, with the back of the knife press- 
ing firmly against the lower bill and the 
lower bill pressed downward as far as pos- 
sible. If the knife is so held the point will 
enter that part of the brain which controls 
the muscles of the skin and a relaxation of 
these muscles takes place which allows the 
feathers to be easily removed. 
Use of Weighted Cup. Havea blood cup 
which has been weighted with lead at the 
bottom and has had a large, sharp hook 
soldered to the inside near the top. Fasten 
this in the beak immediately after sticking. 
It simplifies the picking process, because the 
