THE SKINNING OF BIRDS 173 



left upon the body ; if so, this must be delicately freed from 

 its attachment, and the greatest care is to be taken now, as 

 this is the place, if any, where holes will be made. The skin 

 having been released all round, the wing falls away from 

 the body, and the broken bone shows plainly. Leaving this 

 part, push the leg up a little from the outside, and, holding the 

 foot in the palm of the hand, place the thumb and fingers in 

 such a manner that the front and back edges of the junction 

 of the femur with the tibio-tarsus appear, so that the shears 

 (No. 8) may be introduced underneath to cut the bone through. 

 Probably the whole of the flesh will not be quite freed from 

 that which holds it below ; in that case, take the knife and 

 entirely free it, when, the foot being pulled from the out- 

 side, the tibio-tarsus will fall within the skin leaving the femur 

 attached to the body. Now, returning to the neck, observe 

 a little membrane — that of the crop — and push it away from 

 the skin and on to the body with the fingers, then, seizing it 

 with the right hand, take the head of the bird in the palm of 

 the left hand, gently push the neck within the skin, pulling the 

 crop-membrane gently away meanwhile with the right hand 

 until just under the fingers and thumb of the other hand. Now 

 holding the skin and feathers away from the flesh, the neck and 

 windpipe will appear, and, pushing the point of the scissors 

 underneath these in such a manner as not to cut the underlying 

 skin, snip them through. Again, as in the leg, perhaps a little 

 flesh or membrane may attach one to the other or to the under- 

 lying skin, and, if so, this must be snipped away. Letting the 

 head fall out of the fingers of the left hand, insert a little more 

 wadding under the cut edges of the skin, and wrap a piece of 

 waddiri'g^ around the neck, or push a piece of wire through it, as 

 a further support by which to grasp it firmly. Fig. 2 on the 

 same plate shows the bird at this stage. 



The skin, it will be observed, is still held at three points, viz. 



