BIRDS 



27 



During the entire process of skinning, sprinkle corn meal or fine 

 hardwood sawdust on the exposed surfaces to absorb blood and 

 other fluids so that these will not soil the feathers. Keep the 

 fingertips dry by dipping them in the absorbent for the same 

 reason. If nothing else is available, fine, dry earth may be used. 

 Using your fingers rather than a knife, press the skin away from 

 the body on either side of the rump until it is free all around, 

 connected only at the tail. With scissors cut the body loose at 



Fig. 21. — Exposing the knee. 



the base of the tail (fig. 22) and sprinkle the cut with absorbent. 

 Press the tail and rump skin over and off the body. Do the same 

 with the under side until the skin, inside out, is free up to the 

 wings (fig. 23), using absorbent freely. 



Cut off the wings where they join the body, and continue the 

 process of pushing the skin back over the neck. Press the skin 

 carefully over the back and sides of the head. Soon a membranous 

 piece of skin attached to the skull, will appear on either side. 

 This is the ear (fig. 24). Carefully pull the ear skin from its 



