COLLECTING. 
29 
then with a pointed stick, or the knife, plug the 
hole with a little cotton, and sprinkle plaster, or 
better, some of my preservative, on the spot. 
Next plug the mouth with cotton, taking care to 
push the wad down far enough to allow the bill to 
close, for if the mandibles are left open the skin of 
the chin and upper throat will dry, causing the 
feathers to stand upright. Smooth the specimen 
lightly and place it, head down, in a paper cone, 
which should be long enough to allow folding the 
top without bending the tail feathers. Then the 
bird may be placed in a fish basket, which is the 
best receptacle for carrying birds, as it is not only 
light to carry, but also admits the air. Never 
shut a bird up in a close box in warm weather, as 
it will spoil very quickly. Care of a bird in the 
field will save much labor, and your cabinet speci- 
mens will look enough better to warrant it. 
Blood left under the plumage gradually soaks 
through the feathers, thus causing them to 
become matted, when they are exceedingly diffi- 
cult to clean. Some specimens however, will 
bleed, and if they are to be preserved this blood 
must be removed. I have always found it best 
to wash the blood off -in the first water I could 
find, and then let the bird dry, either by carrying 
