SEC. VII HOW TO MAKE A BIRDSKIN 59 



Decomposition. — It might seem unnecessary to speak of what 

 may be smelt so readily as animal putrescence; but there are 

 some useful points to be learned in this connection, besides the im- 

 portant sanitary precautions that are to be deduced. Immediately 

 after death the various fluids of the body begin to settle (so to 

 speak), and shortly afterward the muscular system becomes fixed 

 in what is technically called rigor mortis. This stiffening usually 

 occurs as the animal heat dies away ; but its onset, and especially 

 its duration, is very variable, according to circumstances, such as 

 cause of death ; although in most cases of sudden violent death of 

 an animal in previous good health, it seems to depend chiefly upon 

 temperature, being transient and imperfect, or altogether wanting, 

 in hot weather. As it passes ofi", the whole system relaxes, and the 

 body soon becomes as limp as at the moment of death. This is the 

 period immediately preceding decomposition ; in fact, it may be 

 considered as the stage of incipient putridity ; it is very brief in 

 warm weather, and it should be seized as the last opportunity of 

 preparing a bird without inconvenience and even danger. If not 

 skinned at once, putrescence becomes established ; it is indicated by 

 the efiiuvium; by the distension of the abdomen with gaseous products 

 of decomposition ; by the loosening of the cuticle, and consequently 

 of the feathers ; and by other signs. If you part the feathers of a 

 bad-smelling bird's belly to find the skin swollen and livid or 

 greenish, while the feathers come off at a touch, the bird is too far 

 gone to be recovered without trouble and risk that no ordinary 

 specimen warrants. It is a singular fact that this early putrescence 

 is more poisonous than utter rottenness ; as physicians are aware, a 

 posPmortem examination at this stage, or even before it, involves 

 more risk than their ordinary dissecting-room experience. It seems 

 that both natural and pathological poisons lose their early virulence 

 by resolution into other products of decay. The obvious deduction 

 from this is to skin your birds soon enough. Some say they are 

 best skinned perfectly fresh, but I see no reason for this ; when I 

 have time to choose, I take the period of rigidity as being prefer- 

 able on the whole ; for the fluids have then settled, and the 

 limbs are readily relaxed by manipulation. If you have a large bag 

 to dispose of, and are pressed for time, set them in the coolest place 

 you can find, preferably on ice ; a slight lowering of temperature 

 may make a decided difference. Disembowelling, which may be 

 accomplished in a moment, will materially retard decomposition. 

 Injections of creosote or dilute carbolic acid will arrest decay for a 

 time, or for an indefinitely long period if a large quantity of these 

 antiseptics be employed. When it becomes desirable (it can never 

 be necessary) to skin a putrescent bird, great care must be exercised 

 not only to accomplish the operation, but to avoid danger. I must 



