24 the taxidermist's guide. 



arium, and they reached England in perfect safety, and made ex- 

 cellent specimens when set up. In warm climates, the boxes 

 should be well closed, and the seams filled with warm pitch 

 on the outside, to prevent the intrusion of insects ; and the 

 inside should be supplied with camphor, musk, or tobacco-dust, 

 which will prevent the attacks of the smaller insects. 



Till practice haf given facility to the operator, it will assist in 

 keeping the feathers clean, if, as he opens the skin of the breast, 

 he pins pieces of paper or linen cloth on the outside ; but, after a 

 few trials, this will be unnecessary. 



Some of the marine fowls are so fat that there is much trouble 

 in separating it from the skin, and, in warm weather, great at- 

 tention will be required to prevent it from running on the feath- 

 ers. As much as possible should be scraped off, in the first 

 place, with a blunt table-knife or palate-knife, and a quantity of 

 powdered chalk applied, to absorb what remains, which, when 

 saturated with the oily matter, should be scraped off, and a fresh 

 supply used ; after which, a much larger proportion of the pre- 

 serving powder should be applied than in other birds which are 

 not fat. 



When shooting on the sea coast, if the Ornithologist is not pro- 

 vided with these requisites for absorbing the oil, which flows 

 quickly from any wounds of the skin, he will find dry sand a 

 tolerable substitute. 



If, however, after every precaution, the oily matter should get 

 on the feathers, the sooner it is removed the better, as, in birds 

 where the plumage is white, if it is allowed to become hardened 

 it will produce a very disagreeable appearance ; and, besides, ren- 

 der that part particularly liable to the attack of insects.. There 

 are several effectual methods of removing the greasy stains ; the 

 first, safest, and best, is, by taking a quantity of diluted ox-gall 

 —or, where it cannot be commanded, sheep Vgall, or that of any 

 other animal — mix it with about double the quantity of water, 

 and apply it with a sponge to the place which the fatty matter 

 has touched,, when it will immediately. remove it. The next is 

 by using a solution of salt of tartar, or potash, or soda. This 

 must be made very weak, not exceeding half a teaspoonful to a 

 cup of water, which will have the same effect as the gall. 

 Whichever of these are used, the place must be immediately 



