292 BACKBONED ANIMALS. 
forceps, scissors, scalpels, and a syringe for injecting the 
veins, etc. The student should be able to skin a bird, but 
mounting can only be learned by practice. Several works 
are published on the subject, as Maynard’s “ Taxidermy.” 
To skin a bird, first measure its girth over the wings. 
Make an incision low on the breast ; skin carefully around 
the wings, cutting the bone at the elbow (Fig. 268 ¢), 
and the legs at the knee - joint, pushing the skin with 
the handle of the knife in preference to cutting. Care 
should be taken with the neck, and, if the head is not 
too large, turn the skin over it to the bills. Scrape away 
all the flesh, being careful at the eyes and ears. Sever the 
neck close to the skull, take out the brain, and powder 
thoroughly all the parts—beak, wings, legs, and tail—with 
powdered arsenic. Fill up the body in all parts with cot- 
ton and sew up the incision. The feathers may be cleaned 
by boiling in warm water. Oil-stains can be removed with 
a solution of soda or potash, and colored feathers are 
cleansed by using equal parts of warm water and ox-gall. 
Finally, inclose the skin in a paper band the size of your 
measurement, number and enter it in a blank book with 
the common and scientific name, sex, locality, measure- 
ments, and all the facts concerning its habits that you can. 
In collecting eggs, divide fairly with the birds, and if pos- 
sible do not take the nest until the brood is reared. Eggs 
can be blown by making a single hole in the shell with a 
tooth-drill or some such instrument, and with a glass tube 
or straw the contents can be blown out. If the young bird 
has formed and can not be removed, break the shell and 
use it as an alcoholic specimen. 
Works on birds for further reference. 
“ Key to Birds of North America,” Elliott Coues ; “ Birds of North 
America,” S. F. Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway; Huxley’s “ Manual of 
Vertebrates” ; Owen’s ‘‘ Anatomy of Vertebrates”; Audubon’s ‘‘ Birds 
of North America” ; ‘‘ Animal Locomotion,” Pettigrew ; ‘ Elements 
