216 BACTERIOLOGY 



line and about 3 cm. distant. When pigeons are used they 

 are held with the legs, tail, and ends of the wings in the one 

 hand, and the head and anterior portion of the body in the 

 other, leaving the area occupied by the pectoral muscles, 

 over which the inoculation is to be made, free for manipu- 

 lation. In the case of fur-bearing animals the hair over the 

 point selected for the inoculation should be closely cut with 

 scissors, and from a small area the feathers should be plucked 



in the case of birds. 



Fig. 39 



Kitasato's mouse-holder. 



It is at times, however, more convenient to dispense with 

 an assistant; one of several forms of apparatus that have 

 been devised for holding mice, guinea-pigs, rats, rabbits, 

 etc., may then be used. For small animals, such as mice and 

 rats, the holder suggested by Kitasato is very useful. It 

 is simply a metal plate attached to a stand by a clamped 

 ball-and-socket joint, so that it can be fixed in any position. 

 It is provided with a spring-clip at one end that holds the 



