MISCELLANEOUS PABTICULARS. 
49 
ornithology essential service. I refer to the skull, and to the breast-bone with its principal 
attachments. These parts of the skeleton are, as a rule, so highly characteristic that tliey 
afford in most cases invaluable 
is of course to sacrifice a skin, to 
mutilated or decayed specimens 
in this way. The breast-bone 
tilated, is always preservable with 
may form its natural accompani- 
with it the coracoids (the stout 
with the shoulders, figs. 1, 2, e), 
intervening between these bones, 
d), all without detachment from 
tively constitute the shoulder- 
off the large breast muscles close 
sertious into the wing-bones (c) ; 
that tie the shoulder-blades to the 
V) close to the side of the breast- 
usually found between the prongs 
hold of the shoidders (figs. 1, 2, 
affjiir, dividing some slight connec- 
behind it. The following points 
often has long slender processes 
mon fowl and the ptarmigan are 
shown in the figures), liable to be 
snapped ; the shoulder-blades usu- 
off ; the merry- thought is some- 
When travelling, it is generally not 
tions of either skull or sternum ; 
flnous fiesh removed, and besprin- 
perfectly cleaned, is particularly 
pronged bones that hinge the jaw, 
push on the palate from behind, 
specting the identification of these 
which should invariably bear the 
it belongs; the label should' be 
is more likely to be able to speak 
ally accompanied by a skin ; never- 
<}ilitate its recognition should be 
are methods, with which I am not 
preparations. You may secure 
ing the bones ; or, what is perhaps 
till the flesh is completely rotted 
the sun. A little potassa or soda 
bones, if you can stop the process 
dissolved but the tougher ligaments 
preparation, as it is called ; if the 
parts of a large specimen may be 
one glued. I think it best, with 
A 
Fig. 3. — Trachea or 
windpipe of the male red- 
breasted merganser, Mer- 
gics aerrator, about ^ nat. 
size, viewed from above 
(behind); after Newton, ^, 
tongue; £ B, its attach- 
ments ; C C, windpipe, di- 
lated in the middle and 
swelling below into a bony 
box, D ; E E, bronchial 
tubes, going to lungs. 
zoologi(;al items. To save a skull 
all intents; but you often have 
that are very profitably utilized 
(figs. 1, 2, a) excepting when mu- 
the skin, and for choice" invoices 
ment. You want to remove along 
bones connecting the breast-bone 
the merry-thought (figs. 1, 2, /) 
and the shoulder-blades (figs. 1, 2, 
each other, for these bones collec- 
girdle," or scapular arch. Slice 
to the bone, and divide their in- 
scrape or cut away the muscles 
chest ; snip off the ribs (figs. 1, 2, 
bone ; sever a tough membrane 
of the wish-bone; then, by taking 
at c), you can lift out the whole 
tions underneath the bone and 
require attention : the breast-bone 
behind and on the sides (the com- 
extreme illustrations of this, as 
cut by mistake for ribs, or to be 
ally taper to a point, easily broken 
times very delicate or defective, 
advisable to make perfect prepara- 
they are best dried with only super- 
kled with arsenic. The skull, if 
liable to lose the odd-shaped, 
and the freely movable pair that 
Great care should be exercised re- 
bones, particularly the sternum, 
number of the specimen to which 
tied to the coracoid bone. A skull 
for itself, and, besides, is not usu- 
theless, any record tending to fa- 
duly entered on the register. There 
familiar, of making elegant bony 
very good results by simply boil- 
better, macerating them in water 
away, and then bleaching them in 
hastens the process. With breast- 
just when the flesh is completely 
remain, you secure a '"natural" 
ligaments go too, the associate 
wired together, those of a small 
skulls, to clean them entirely of 
ose 
ligament as well as muscle ; for the underneath parts are usually those conveying the most 
■desirable information, and they should not be in the slightest degree obscured. Since in such 
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