I'KEi'Aitixc; roi; mauket 131 



inches long, hooked and })ointed at the upper end, an'l 

 weighted at tlie lower end witli a piece of k^ad the sizi; 

 of a hulled walnut. Four birds are killed in turn, and 

 picking begi}is on K'o. 1 as soon as dead. Xo\'ices may 

 kill and pick but one at a time until some speed is 

 gained, Imt an exjtert picker will kill four and "rough 

 pick" them all before they get too cold. 



Dressing the Sqitahs — Allow the hirds to remain 

 suspended, but release the wings, grasping tliem both 

 in the left hand back of the Jjird. Moisten the thumlj 

 and fingers of the right hand in the pan of water, and 

 begin picking the neck, leaving about three-quarters of 

 an inch next the head luipicked. Still hold the wings 

 in the left hand until tlie entire front of the bird, legs 

 included, is jjicked. Then, bringing the wings in front 

 of the bird, hold in the left hand as before, and remove 

 the balance of feathers from the bod)^ Now, ^^•ith 

 wings still in left hand, i)luck quills from both wings 

 at once, and also the larger feathers, and then finish 

 each wing sej^arately. This completes the "rougli 

 picking," after which tliey must l^e jiinfeathered, in 

 which operation a small knife is helpful. An expert 

 picker, when he has finished the third liird, kills three 

 more so that they may be bleeding while he is at work 

 with the fourth. As soon as finished each squall is 

 dropped into a tub of cold water to drive out the animal 

 beat and make the birds more firm and plump. An 

 expert picker can kill and "rough pick"' twenty squabs 

 an hour or completely dress twelve to fifteen in the 

 same time. 



It pays well to use care in picking not to tear the 

 skin or leave any feathers on the birds. Well-fattened 

 birds are seldom torn hj the expert picker. The 

 weighted wire is of advantage in slightly stretching the 

 skin and making it less liable to tear. When all the' 

 squabs are dressed, the feet and mouths must he thor- 



