MAKING SKINS. 59 



used for specimens from the size of a humming- 

 bird to that of a golden-winged woodpecker. The 

 labels of ducks and herons may be attached to the 

 beak by securing through the nostrils, as then 

 they are more readily found. 



It is well to keep in mind that in order to have 

 any value as a scientific specimen, a bird must be 

 labelled as near as possible with date, locality, and 

 sex, but never guess at either. If you have a skin 

 in your possession that you are not absolutely 

 certain about, either label it with an interrogation 

 mark filling the part of which you are in doubt, or 

 do not label it at all. Thus if you are unable to 

 determine the sex satisfactorily, say so by draw- 

 ing a line through the sex mark and substituting 

 a query (?). 



Section VII. : Care of Skins, Cabinets, 

 etc. — When skins are removed from the forms 

 they should be dusted with a light feather-duster, 

 striking them gently from the head downward so 

 as not to ruffle the plumage. Although skins are 

 well preserved from the attacks of demestes and 

 anthrenus, which feed upon the skin, yet the 

 feathers are always liable to be attacked by moths, 

 while the skin on the feet or bills is also liable to 

 be eaten. This may be prevented by washing the 



