SKINNING AND PRESERVING BIRDS. 115 



the solution, and touch the skull and corresponding parts of the skin, 

 as you cannot well get at these places afterwards. 



From the time of pushing the skin over the head you are supposed 

 to have had the bird resting upon your knee. Keep it there still, and 

 with great caution and tenderness return the head through the inverted 

 skin, and when you see the beak appearing pull it very gently till 

 the head comes out unruffled and unstained. 



You may now take the cotton out of the mouth. Cut away all the 

 remaining flesh from the palate, and whatever may have remained at 

 the under jaw. 



Here is now before you the skin without loss of any feathers, and 

 all the flesh, fat, and unclean bones out of it, except the middle joint 

 of the wings, one bone of the thighs, and the fleshy root of the tail. The 

 extreme point of the wing is very small, and has no flesh on it, com- 

 paratively speaking, so that it requires no attention except touching 

 it with the solution from the outside. Take all the flesh from the 

 remaining joint of the wing, and tie a thread about four inches long 

 to the end of it, touch all with the solution, and put the wing bone 

 back into its place. Iq baring this bone you must by no means pull 

 the skin. You would have it to pieces beyond all doubt, for the ends 

 of the long feathers are attached to the bone itself. You must push 

 off the skin with your thumb and forefinger. Now skin the thigh, 

 quite to the bone, cut away all flesh and tendons, and bare the bone, 

 form an artificial thigh round it with cotton, apply the solution, and 

 draw back the skin over the artificial thigh ; the same to the other 

 thigh. 



Lastly, proceed to the tail, take out the inside of the oil gland, 

 remove all the remaining flesh from the root till you see the ends 

 of the tail feathers, give it the solution and replace it. Now take 

 out all the cotton which you have been putting into the body from 

 time to time to preserve the feathers from grease and stain. 



Place the bird upon your knee, on its back, tie together the two 

 threads which you had fastened to the ends of the wing joints, leaving 

 exactly the same space betwixt them as your knowledge of anatomy 

 informs you existed there when the bird was entire, hold the skin 

 open with your finger and thumb, and apply the solution to every 

 part of the inside. Neglect the head and neck at present ; they are 

 to receive it afterwards. 



Fill the body moderately with cotton lest the feathers on the belly 

 should be injured. Whilst you are about the following operation you 

 must recollect that half of the thigh — or, in other words, one joint 



I 



