8 ORNITHOLOGICAL AND OOLOGICAL COLLECTING. 



GUNS AND AMUNITION. 

 The choice of a gun for the purpose of shooting sepcimens must depend largely 

 upon individual preference or the means of the collector. The most improved 

 double-barreled, hammerless shotgun is of course desirable; Nos. 10 or 12 gauges 

 being at the present time preferred. A No. 16 or 20 gauge will be found to serve 

 about as well in most cases for ornithological collecting purposes. Auxiliary 

 barrels. No. 32 gauge, are now made to fit in the 10 or 12 gauge guns; these are very 

 handy, and the brass shells made for them can be loaded at a trifling cost. 



A five-shot No. 38 taxidermist's gun with brass shells is also manufactured and 

 sold by dealers in naturalists' supplies. This makes an excellent collecting gun for 

 small birds, from the size of warblers and upwards to that of a blackbird. In this 

 gun and in the shells for the auxiliary barrels the smallest size shot are used, called 

 "mustard seed." In shooting birds with the larger guns the size of the shot and 

 weight of charge must be duly considered. For any North American bird Nos. 8 

 or 5 shot will usually prove effective, even upon the largest species within gun range. 



The chief object in shooting a bird is' to shoot to kill, not to mangle. A bird 

 well shot for the ornithologist is as good as a "stitch in time." The minute a dead 

 birds falls into your hands plug the mouth, nose-holes, vent and shot-holes with 

 cotton in order to prevent the blood or liquids from further soiling the plumage. 

 Put the dead bird in a paper cone, head first, and place it in your collecting satchel. 

 The large birds you must treat in the same manner and carry them home the best 

 way to suit your convenience. 



With the above knowledge of what is necessary for the preservation of the skins 

 of birds and the instruments required for the work we shall proceed to skin the 

 robin. Perhaps you have carried the bird wrapped in a paper cone in your satchel 

 or collecting box for a half day or more and the rigor mortis has passed off.- The 

 cotton in all the shot-holes, mouth, nose-holes, ea,r cavities and vent should be taken 

 out and carefully renewed, as this will prevent the blood and liquids from soiling 

 the feathers during the process of skinning.' A strict observance of this rule in all 

 cases will often save a great- amount of labor in cleaning the feathers after the bird 

 is skinned. Have a box of corn meal or plaster of Paris at hand; this should be fre- 

 quently and profusely sprinkled on the carcass, if very fat, to absorb any blood or 

 grease which is liable to soil the feathers.^ The first thing to do before you proceed 

 to skin the bird is to take full measurements of the specimen and record them ia 



1. FILLING EAR CAVITIES.— As a rule it is not necessary to fill the ear cavities 

 with cotto.n, except in the case of owls and other birds which have very large ear orifices. 



2. FASTENING THE BEAKS OF BIRDS TOGETHER WHILE SKINNING.— In 

 large bird, their beaks should be held together while skinning with a piece of cord run 

 through the nose-hole, and under the lower mandible and tied fast. A small piece of 

 bee's wax will hold together the beaks of the majority of small birds. To the beginner this 

 precaution may seem superfluous after having plugged the mouth, nose-holes, vent, etc., 

 with cotton; but It frequently will save him a vast amount of labor In cleaning blood and 

 liquids from specimens that might otherwise come through and stain the feathers. 



