96 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



side of tlie breast bone, and tbus the two first fingers of tbe 

 left band may be advantageously employed — ^but in a very 

 gentle manner — to loosen tlie skin around tbe upper part of 

 the breast-bone from the inside, while the thumb regulates 

 the pull from the outside. All this must be done with the 

 feathers kept as much away from the flesh as possible. 



Eig. 22 shows the appearance which the specimen should now 

 present. 



The skin being, as it were, nicely "persuaded" from the 

 flesh (more being done by pushing than by pulling), the legs 

 begin to appear. Take hold of the one nearest to you with 

 the right hand, at the same time inserting the fingers of the 

 left inside the skin ; then, by gently j)ushing up with the right 

 hand, free the legs sufficiently to show the second joint, where 

 it has been previously twisted or broken. 



Laying down the knife, and picking up the scissors, force 

 their point underneath the joint, marked P in Plate II., and 

 cut it completely off; it should then be clear of the flesh, 

 showing the skin on either side as if it were a stocking turned 

 inside out. Pull it gently by the claw back into its proper 

 position, and there leave it, and do the same by the other 

 leg, turning the bird again for that purpose. 



Both the legs should now be entirely free, not holding to 

 the body at any point. Taking up the knife again, carefully 

 work with it down toward the tail, and as far round the 

 back as you can get with safety. Now let the bird rest on 

 its head, as it were, with the beak from you, and, placing 

 the fingers with the thumb on the back (which is now under- 

 neath), the middle finger on the root of the tail inside, flanked 

 by the first and third fingers keeping down the skin on either 

 side, cautiously insert the knife through the skin of the vent, 

 and cut that free, cutting upward in a slanting direction ; 

 having done this, carefully cut away on the root of the tail, 

 at the same time freeing it wherever it sticks ; then, when 

 nothing but one bone, that is to say, the last caudal vertebra, 

 holds it, slip the knife underneath and cut with a drawing 

 motion upward. The tail is now entirely separated from 

 the body. Now advance the fingers of the left hand and seize 

 the bottom part of the loosened body with the right hand, and 



