ON PRESERVING BIRDS. 

 4thly, the inside then becomes Hke a ham, or any other Preserving 



1 • 1 -n 1 1 • Birds. 



dried meat, iire long, the msects claim it as their own ; 



the feathers begin to drop olf, and you have the hideous 

 spectacle of death in ragged plumage. 



Wire is of no manner of use, but, on the contrary, a 

 great nuisance ; for where it is introduced, a disagreeable 

 stiffness and derangement of symmetry follow. 



The head and neck can be placed in any attitude, the 

 body supported, the wings closed, extended or elevated, 

 the tail depressed, raised or expanded, the thighs set 

 horizontal or oblique, without any aid from wire. Cotton 

 will effect all this. 



A very small proportion of the scull bone, say, from 

 the forepart of the eyes to the bill, is to be left in ; 

 though even this is not absolutely necessary. Part of the 

 wing-bones, the jaw-bones, and half of the thigh-bones, 

 remain. Every thing else, flesh, fat, eyes, bones, brains, 

 and tendons, are all to be taken away. 



While dissecting, it will be of use to keep in mind, General 



That, in taking off the skin from the body, by means '^''^^'^*^°"^* 

 of your fingers and little knife, you must try to shove it, 

 in heu of pulling it, lest you stretch it. 



That, you must press as lightly as possible on the bird, 

 and every now and then take a view of it, to see that 

 the feathers, &c. are all right. 



That, when you come to the head, you must take care 

 that the body of the skin rests on your knee ; for if you 



