﻿PROCESS FOR PRESERVATION". 26*9 



the thin white skin which will then appear, with the 

 scissars, so as not to injure the outer skin of the bird 

 The eye being then exposed, cut round the margin o . 

 the orbits, so that the eye is not broken, and then scoop 

 it out entire with a strong goose quill cut in the shape 

 of a pen, but without a slit : the other side of the head 

 is to be done, of course, in the same manner. Before 

 filling up the sockets of the eyes with cotton, a small 

 portion of the back part of the skull is to be cut away, 

 for the purpose of cleaning out the brains : this may be 

 done with the quill just mentioned, or with a blunt- 

 pointed pen-knife ; then cut away all the flesh on the 

 sides, and clean the bones with cotton. After having 

 washed the whole with the arsenic soap, fill up the 

 inside of the skull, if possible, with tow rather than 

 with cotton ; for if the bird is subsequently set up, or 

 mounted, as it is termed, the wires, then to be used, 

 will pass through tow, but seldom can be made to pene- 

 trate cotton or wool ; so that, if no tow is at hand, it 

 were better to leave the skull empty. Anoint the skin 

 of the neck with the soap, and then proceed with great 

 caution in returning the skin over the head, not by 

 pulling, but by gentle pressure with the finger ; this is, 

 perhaps, the most difficult part of the process ; and the 

 young practitioner must make his account of tearing 

 two or three of his first specimens ; but a little expe- 

 rience will suggest improvements too minute and tedious 

 to be expressed in writing. When once the skin is 

 drawn back again over the skull, the difficulty, in fact, 

 is over, and this should be done by the thumb-nail. 

 It is only here that the skin appears tight ; for when it 

 has passed over the scalp, the rest of the neck comes 

 out almost of its own accord. 



(224.) The specimen being now free from all parts 

 that are to be taken away, let the skin be again opened 

 and spread out for the purpose of anointing all the 

 inside, first removing any lumps of fat or flesh that 

 may still adhere. We then proceed to the stuffing. A 

 false neck should be made of tow or cotton, about 



