SKINNING AND PRESERVING BIRDS. 119 



The alcohol has introduced the sublimate into every part and pore of 

 the skin, quite to the roots of the feathers. Its use is twofold : First, 

 it has totally prevented all tendency to putrefaction, and thus a sound 

 skin has attached itself to the roots of the feathers. You may take hold 

 of a single one, and from it suspend five times the weight of the bird ; 

 you may jerk it, it will still adhere to the skin, and, after repeated 

 trials, often break short. Secondly, as no part of the skin has escaped 

 receiving particles of sublimate contained in the alcohol, there is rot 

 a spot exposed to the depredation of insects ; for they will never 

 venture to attack any substance which has received corrosive sublimate. 



Tou are aware that corrosive sublimate is the most fatal poison to 

 insects that is known. It is anti-putrescent, so is alcohol, and they are 

 both colourless. Of course, they cannot leave a stain behind them. The 

 ppirit penetrates the pores of the skin with wonderful velocity, deposits 

 invisible parts of the sublimate, and flies off. The sublimate will not 

 injure the skin, and nothing can detach it from the part where the alcohol 

 has left it. 



All the feathers require to be touched with the solution in order that 

 they may be preserved from the depredation of the moth. The surest 

 way of proceeding is to immerse the bird in the solution of corrosive sub- 

 limate, and then dry it before you begin to dissect it. — (Waterton's 

 *' Wauderings in South America.") 



On reference to the instructions given previously, and those 

 last quoted, it "will be seen that the two systems are diametrically 

 opposed to each other. I will, therefore, now point out the 

 objections to a general use of Waterton's plan. 



First, let me premise that I entirely agree with him in his 

 opening paragraph as to selecting, when practicable, a bird as 

 little damaged as possible ; but I need not remind professionals, 

 or amateurs of some practice, how seldom these conditions exist, 

 especially in the instance of birds sent to them for mounting, by 

 people totally ignorant of the first principles of taxidermy. 

 Where a great number of feathers are missing, the loss must be 

 repaired by the insertion of similar feathers placed one by one 

 in position by the aid of strong paste, in which a little of the 

 corrosive sublimate preparation (see chapter on Preservatives, 

 ante) or carbolic acid has previously been stirred. He is also 

 quite right when he insists upon the specimen not being stuffed 



