KILLING POULTRY 315 
inside of the mouth is adopted, the blood vessels in the brain which 
are cut find an outlet for their contents through the knife hole. 
Bleeding from these vessels is, under any circumstances, of assistance 
in obtaining the best results, and where the neck vessels are missed 
the condition of the chicken is often greatly improved by the bleed- 
ing from the brain. 
DISCUSSION OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS 
LOCATION OF VEINS 
The location of the principal veins in the neck of the chicken, 
their relation to the skull, and the point at which it is desirable 
to make the cut for bleeding, are shown in the accompanying illus- 
trations. Figure 65 shows the head and neck of a young cock about 
a year old. Two large veins (heavily 
lined with black in the figure) run the 
whole length of the neck, one on each side, 
and unite by a “ bridge-vein” which is 
just below and behind the ear. This vein, 
which connects the two others, does not 
run straight across but at an angle, so that 
it is farther front on the left than on the 
right side. If the feathers on the neck of 
a chicken are pushed aside, or, better still, 
if a molting chicken with but a few 
feathers is observed, these veins can be 
seen at each side of the neck while the 
bird is alive, especially if a little pressure 
is used at the lower part of the neck so that 
the blood collects and distends them. It 
is important that the position of these 
veins be exactly located on the neck of the 
live bird, since upon this information will 
depend very largely the proper guiding of 
the knife to the blood vessel. 
Fig. 66 shows two sketches of a chicken’s 
head from which the lower jaw has been re- 
“sy moved. The lower jaw of the chicken is 
Fia. 65. External view of much longer than the beak. It runs back 
head and neck showing to a point just below the ear, where the 
osition of veins. (Pen- ., oe i i 
etn and Betts) hinged joint can be felt. The skin which 
