36 MANUAL OF TAXIDERMY. 



finger being a guide to prevent going through 

 this. Rub absorbent on the severed portion. 

 Grasp the end of the vertebra protruding from 

 the body, thus raising the bird from the bench; 

 peel down front and back by pushing downward 

 with the hand, rather coaxing the skin off than 

 forcing or pulling it. Soon the wings will appear; 

 sever these where the humerus joins the cora- 

 coid, cutting through the muscles from above 

 downward in large specimens, thus more readily 

 finding the joints. Rub on absorbent, and it may 

 be well to remark that this must be done when- 

 ever a fresh cut is made. Then the body is laid 

 on the bench, and the skin is held in one hand, or, 

 in large specimens,, allowed to rest on the lap or 

 on the bench, but never to dangle. Keep on 

 peeling over the neck by using the tips of as many 

 ringers as can be brought into service and soon, 

 the skull will appear. The next obstruction will 

 be the ears ; these should be pulled or, better, 

 pinched out with the thumb and forefinger nails. 

 Do not tear the ears, and special care should 

 be exercised in this respect in owls. When 

 the eyes are exposed, pass the knife between 

 the lids and orbit, close to the former, taking 

 care that the nyctatating membrane be removed 



