COLLECTING. 
31 
and kill them, and have done it with my hands 
alone. 
Wounded doves and pigeons should be grasped 
very firmly, and not allowed to struggle in the 
least, as their feathers fall out very easily ; and 
the same is true, though to a less extent, with 
cuckoos ; in fact, it is always best to brush the 
plumage as little as possible, handling the speci- 
men when dead by the feet or bill. In picking up 
white herons or other birds which have fallen in 
mud or other dirty water, take them up by the bill 
and shake them gently to remove the ooze. The 
feathers of all birds, especially aquatic species, 
are covered with a delicate oil, and all extraneous 
matter glides off the plumage if they are not 
soaked in water. In catching wounded herons, 
take them by the beak to avoid the danger of 
losing an eye from a lunge of the sharp point. 
When a bird is to be placed in a basket or on a 
bench, do not throw it down, but lay it gently on 
its back, always bearing in mind that the smoother 
a bird is kept before it is skinned the better it will 
look when preserved. I have even noticed that 
the true ornithological enthusiast always keeps 
his birds in good condition, while others who 
merely shoot birds for the momentary pleasure of 
