BIRDS 



33 



Holding the skin by the 

 bill, shake it gently to aid 

 in getting the feathers back 

 in place. 



In large birds and all 

 water birds, including sand- 

 pipers and plovers, it is 

 necessarj' - to pull out the 

 long tendons in the feet. 

 Make a cut in the bottom 

 of the foot (fig. 30) and 

 you will see the cordlike 

 tendons which can then be 

 pulled out by pushing an 

 awl or strong forceps under 

 them. Cut them off at the 

 point of attachment. Then 

 make a cut on the under 

 side of each toe at the 

 outer end, pull out the ten- 

 don, and cut it off. 



Make a cotton body the 

 size of the bird's body on 

 a small, dry stick, one end 

 of which, only slightly cov- 

 ered with cotton, should 

 protrude by the length of 

 the bird's neck (figs. 31 

 and 32). 



Fig. 28. — Method of skinning wing 

 from inside. 



