36 
MANUAL OF TAXIDERMY. 
finger being a guide to prevent going through 
this. Rub absorbent on the severed portion. 
Grasp the end of the vertebra protruding from 
the body, thus raising the bird from the bench; 
peel down front and back by pushing downward 
with the hand, rather coaxing the skin off than 
forcing or pulling it. Soon the wings will appear; 
sever these where the humerus joins the cora- 
coid, cutting through the muscles from above 
downward in large specimens, thus more readily 
finding the joints. Rub on absorbent, and it may 
be well to remark that this must be done when- 
ever a fresh cut is made. Then the body is laid 
on the bench, and the skin is held in one hand, or, 
in large specimens, allowed to rest on the lap or 
on the bench, but never to dangle. Keep on 
peeling over the neck by using the tips of as many 
fingers as can be brought into service and soon, 
the skull will appear. The next obstruction will 
be the ears ; these should be pulled or, better, 
pinched out with the thumb and forefinger nails. 
Do not tear the ears, and special care should 
be exercised in this respect in owls. When 
the eyes are exposed, pass the knife between 
the lids and orbit, close to the former, taking 
care that the nyctatating membrane be removed 
