122 



WANDERINGS IN 



Second yellow, where it has touched the yellow part of the horn ; 



Journey. 



blue, where it has touched the red part, and black 



towards the edge and point ; when dried, this thin and 

 tender membrane becomes nearly black ; as soon as it is 

 cut away, nothing remains but the outer horn, red and 

 yellow, and now become transparent ; the under mandible 

 must undergo the same operation. Great care must be 

 taken, and the knife used very cautiously, when you are 

 cutting through the different parts close to where the bill 

 joins on to the head ; if you cut away too much, the bill 

 drops off ; if you press too hard, the knife comes through 

 the horn ; if you leave too great a portion of the mem- 

 brane, it appears through the horn, and by becoming 

 black when dried, makes the horn appear black also, and 

 has a bad effect ; judgment, caution, skill, and practice,, 

 will ensure success. 



You have now cleared the bill of all those bodies which 

 are the cause of its apparent fading; for, as has been 

 said before, these bodies dry in death, and become 

 quite discoloured, and appear so through the horn j: 

 and reviewing the bill in this state, you conclude that 

 its former bright colours are lost. 



Something still remains to be done. You have ren- 

 dered the bill transparent by the operation, and that 

 transparency must be done away to make it appear per- 

 fectly natural. Pound some clean chalk, and give it 

 enough water till it be of the consistency of tar ; add a 



