256 
ox THE CLASSIFICATIOX OP BIRDS. 
the second mode is that generally used. The incision 
should only be skin deep, to prevent the issue of blood 
or of the intestines ; it may be made, to the end of the 
breast bone, by a penknife, but beyond, as the belly is 
soft, the scissars had better be used, passing the under 
point just below the outer skin, so as not to cut the 
inner ; this lieing done, rub the skin gently away from 
the flesh on both sides with the forefinger, scraping 
some chalk upon the carcass, as it becomes exposed, 
that all moisture may be absorbed, and the feathers 
kept dry : so soon as a little of the skin has been 
loosened, lift it up with one hand, and with the other 
pass the stick between the skin and the flesh, in order 
to separate them : but this, and in fact all stages of the 
process, must be done very gently with small birds, and 
such others as have thin skins. ^V’'ork with the stick 
in this manner until you come to the shoulder joint, 
from around which the skin must also be detached ; 
when this is done, and your stick will pass between the 
loose skin and the joint, cut the latter through with a 
knife, or, if the bird is small, with the scissars. The 
clearing away of one wing greatly facilitates your future 
progress, which is prosecuted by continuing to detach 
the skin on the sides and back, using the thumb nail, 
or the scissars, to separate any muscles that impede 
your progress. Arriving at the leg, the knee joint 
is to be cut through, after the skin around it is re- 
moved. Having thus separateil the skin from the flesh 
on one side, proceed to do the same on the other, and 
in precisely the same way : it will be as well, how- 
ever, in this stage of the process, to separate the neck 
from the breast, by detaching the skin all round the 
base, and cutting the neck away, at its lowest part, with 
the strong scissars. By this operation the skin, being 
so much detached, may be separated from the other 
wing and leg with much more ease ; and when this has 
been done, the carcass will only remain attached to the 
skin by the tail ; draw away the skin, therefore, very 
gently all round the vent, until you come to the hard 
