124 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



fail to open on tlie crown, or by the side of tlie face, you must of 

 necessity miss these, or have ten times more trouble in feeling 

 your way to it. If the processes by the side of the face are 

 entirely missed, the consequences are an unsightly and inartistic 

 shrivelling ; it is as well, therefore, to make a note of all birds 

 having such a peculiarity. 



Amongst the birds which may be instanced as having heads 

 too large to pass the neck in the usual manner, we may place the 

 whole of the ducks, geese, and swans, though the heads of the 

 herons and divers, which appear to be as large and yet have as 

 small necks as the former birds, pass easily. Again, the head of 

 the great or crested grebe passes, while that of the little grebe 

 sticks. Of the three woodpeckers found in Britain, the heads of 

 the great-spotted and lesser-spotted will not pass the neck, but 

 the head of the other, the green woodpecker, the largest looking 

 of the three, will pass if care be taken. These things being 

 noted and borne in mind will save the tyro a considerable 

 amount of trouble. 



In concluding this chapter, let it be noted as an unalterable 

 doctrine, that no white-breasted birds, sea birds especially, are, 

 under any pretence whatever, to be cut on their breasts. How 

 many birds pass through the hands of the professional, spoiled by 

 a neglect or ignorance of this rule, it would be impossible to say, 

 nor are amateurs the only offenders in this particular. Grebes, 

 &c., which have wings hardly sufl&cient to hide the cut beneath, 

 can be cut on the back, between the wings, and skinned out 

 that way ; and if the breast is, as it should be, fronted for the 

 *' showpiece," the effect, if skilfully done, is very fine. I have 

 lately given a great deal of attention to this method of skinning 

 from the back, having found it necessary in mounting young 

 birds which otherwise showed an unsightly cut on their naked 

 breasts. I found that the modelling was much truer and more 

 effective by this method, and therefore extended it to mature 

 specimens with the result that I now think no birds, excepting the 

 very largest, perhaps, should ever be opened on the breast. I am 

 quite convinced that if a person of any experience makes up 

 his mind never to skin a bird by any other way than by the side 

 or back, he will have no reason to ever regret his decision. 

 Should a bii-d be required for flight, undoubtedly the proper 



