HINTS FOR ORNITHOLOGICAL TRAVELLERS. 
Shooting and sporting excursions, of late years, have been under- 
taken much beyond the limits of our islands, and may soon range 
to extra European lands ; and it is a pity that these should only 
end as a temporary excitement, or an indiscriminate slaughter of 
animal life. These are generally well appointed, and carried out 
with great expense. The projectors often want only direction; and 
the assistance of a neat handed, or qualified servant to the party, 
would often, if not always, produce results of great benefit to our 
knowledge. Among this class of travellers and sportsmen, however, 
there are many very honourable exceptions ; and we have soldiers 
and sailors, merchants, governors, and persons in office, and private 
gentlemen, who have all wrought zealously and heartily, and whose 
researches and discoveries have been most valuable ; but in all our 
applications to friends abroad, or going abroad, we are constantly 
met with the request, “ Do write us out directions, and give us a 
list of what you want.” To the last, we invariably reply, Send 
every thing ; and to the first we are about to comply, by printing 
directions for the use of our friends and correspondents who may 
require them. 
We shall first describe the manner of preparing a bird as a skin, 
supposing that abundance of the proper materials and instruments 
are at hand, and the person in his own appropriated working-room. 
Any person with a moderate share of intelligence, and accustomed 
to use his hands, will be able to turn and accommodate his oppor- 
tunities and means to the different situations in which he may be 
placed; and it must be kept in view, that in distant and little 
visited lands, where circumstances may sometimes occur which 
render it almost impossible to preserve or bring away perfect speci- 
mens, a skin in any condition, or fragments of it, the head, a wing, 
or foot, are always worth preserving. 
The specimen being cooled, before commencing to skin the 
mouth and nostrils should be cleaned of any blood or other matter 
and the tow or cotton with which they may have been stuffed when 
t ,: :Y CneWe ’ 80 aS t0 absorb a,, y liquid that may probably flow 
uZ “b T TZ n SOlUng thC p,umage - Tbe specimen laid 
Mown aside f ^ ^ feathers * belly separated or 
breast 1 T “ fr ° m about tbe middle of the 
reast or sternum to the vent ; the skin should now be gradually 
