92 
a very large bird by a slipknot around the hips just anterior to the stumps 
of the thighs. In skinning a suspended bird, be careful of blood spurting 
over the plumage from severed veins. Dripping blood may be avoided to 
some extent by tying cords tightly around the base of wings and upper part 
of neck before cutting off wings or working on the head. With small birds 
any blood flowing may be absorbed with cotton or dry absorbent. When 
the bases of the wings appear they should be cut off near the shoulder joint, 
and the skin turned back over the neck until the head is reached (Figure 
29 ). 
The skin should be worked carefully over the head, being pushed from 
the back of the head with the thumb- and finger-nails. Do not try to pull 
