PREPARING AND STEPPING ANIMALS. 
skin inverted and drawn over the head, the femnr or thigh- 
bone attached as well as the first vertebrae of the tail b, the 
articulation of the humerus or pinion-bone c, where it was 
separated from the body, the membranes of the ear d, with- 
drawn from their cavities e, and the skin cut round the 
cavities of the eyes /. 
The head is now separated from the body at 
the last vertebrae, or rather a little beyond, 
being cut through the occipital opening a , to 
K facilitate the removing the brains, which are 
withdrawn through the opening. The carcase is 
now entirely disposed of. 
The next operation is to remove the fleshy parts from the 
head and cheekbones, clean out the occiput or cavity, and fill 
the opening as well as the orbits of the eyes with cotton-wool, 
having first given them a good coating with the preservative 
paste. Having replaced the flesh removed from the cheeks and 
crown with soft tow, turn the skin back over the head. The 
wings are now to be skinned as far as the humeral bones by 
pushing the skin backward over them ; the bones are carefully 
cleaned, all flesh, muscles, and tendons removed, the bones as 
well as the skin covered with the preservative paste, and tow 
or cotton-wool wrapped round them to replace the flesh and 
give the appearance presented in fife ; the skin is then replaced. 
The legs and thighs now undergo the same process. Taking 
hold of the feet, the skin is gently pushed back over the tibia, 
or leg-bones, to the knee-joint, and the flesh and tendons re- 
moved ; by passing the knife round the head of the bones, the 
flesh and tendons will be found to strip off cleanly from the 
bone ; a coating of soap is now given to the bone and skin, the 
bone is covered with tow so as to give its natural appearance, 
and the skin replaced ; the same operation is performed on 
the vertebrae attached to the tail, the flesh being removed as 
far back as the insertion of the tail feathers, the skin and bones 
stripped, covered with the soap, and the skin replaced as before. 
The entire skin now receives a coating of the preservative 
paste, and is ready for stuffing and mounting. It is impor- 
tant that, as these different parts are finished off, the feathers 
should be arranged and made to fall into their places while 
the skin is damp, otherwise it may be difficult to get them to 
lie smooth and in their natural order afterwards. 
The process we have just described is applicable to all land- 
birds, and to most water-birds also ; but there are some, as the 
