PROCESS FOR PRESERVATION. 26'9 
tbe thin white shin which will then appear, with the 
scissars, so as not to injure the outer skin of the bird 
The eye being then exposed, cut round the margin o 
the orbits, so that the eye is not broken, and then scoop 
it out entire with a strong goose quill cut in the shape 
of a pen, but without a slit : the other side of the head 
is to be done, of course, in the same manner. Before 
filling up the sockets of the eyes with cotton, a small 
portion of the back part of the skull is to be cut away, 
for the purpose of cleaning out the brains : this may be 
done with the quill just mentioned, or with a blunt- 
pointed pen-knife ; then cut away all the flesh on the 
sides, and clean the hones with eotton. After having 
washed the whole with the arsenic soap, fill up the 
inside of the skull, if possible, with tow rather than 
with cotton ^ for if the bird is subsequently set up, or 
mounted, as it is termed, the wires, then to be used, 
will pass through tow, but seldom can be made to pene- 
trate cotton or wool ; so that, if no tow is at hand, it 
were better to leave the skull empty. Anoint the skin 
of the neck with the soap, and then proceed with great 
caution in returning the skin over the head, not hy 
pulling, but by gentle pressure with the finger , this is, 
perhaps, the most difficult part of the process ,• and the 
young practitioner must make his account of tearing 
two or three of his first specimens ; but a little expe- 
rience win suggest improvements too minute and tedious 
to be expressed in writing. W^hen once the skin is 
drawn back again over the skull, the difficulty, in fact, 
is over, and this should be done by the thumb-nail. 
It is only here that the skin appears tight ; for when it 
has passed over the scalp, the rest of the neck comes 
out almost of its own accord. 
(Sa-l..) The specimen being now free from all parts 
that are to be taken away, let the skin be again opened 
and spread out for the purpose of anointing all the 
inside, first removing any lumps of fat or flesh that 
may still adhere. We then proceed to the stufling. A 
false neck should be made of tow or cotton, about 
