640 MANUAL OF NATUKAL HISTORY. 



of Paris. Next, presuming the above directions 

 have been attended to, place the bird on its back, 

 with the head to the left, and if a small species, it is 

 advisable to break the bones of the wings close to 

 the shoulder; separate the feathers down the breast, 

 turning them on either side ; make an incision from 

 the upper part of the sternum downwards to near 

 the vent, but avoid cutting through the abdominal 

 muscles ; dissect away the skin from the body on 

 either side, which can generally be effected by raising 

 the skin with the fingers or with forceps, and sepa- 

 rating it from the muscle with the handle of the 

 scalpel, thus avoiding the possibility of cutting the 

 skin. As the skinning goes on, a little plaster of 

 Paris, or other powder, should be shaken over the 

 exposed muscle, to prevent the feathers from adhering 

 to it, by which means the process is facilitated, while 

 the plumage is at the same time protected from im- 

 purities. When the thigh is exposed on one side, 

 cut through the leg at the knee-joint, which, when 

 the bird is not larger than a crow, can readily be 

 done with scissors, then turn the bird round and 

 proceed in like manner with the other side. When 

 both legs are separated, continue to detach the skin 

 backwards and downwards to the rump ; raise, with 

 the left hand, the bird by the tail, holding close to 

 the rump, bend the tail back and with the scissors 

 or knife cut through the coccyx or bones of the tail, 

 leaving a part adherent to the skin to keep the tail 

 feathers firm. As it frequently happens that at this 

 point of the operation some foecal matter will escape, 



