456 
SKINNING BIRDS. 
Take hold of skin at upper part of cut at the lower part of the breast bone, and 
gently push it, working downward with blade of scissors or knile, until the knee- 
joint (D, Fig. II.) is exposed ; cut through the articulation, but in doing this exer¬ 
cise care so that skin* * will not be cut. Having severed the leg at the knee-joint, 
grasp the foot and turn shin inside out—push it up with one hand and work skin 
I? 
THE SKIN TURNED INSIDE OUT. 
A. Radius or small bone of fore-arm. B. Ulna or large fore¬ 
arm bone. C. Humerus or arm-bone. D. Tibia or shin bone. E. 
Tibia wrapped with cotton or tow. F. Skull. G. Angle of the 
jaw- Dotted lines BB-indicate where thread can be tied to hold 
wings in place. 
down with the other hand until tendons (at heel joint) running to the foot are ex¬ 
posed. Clean muscles from the bones (tibia and fibula), rub arsenic and alum on 
flesh side of skin, as well as on the bones, and wrap latter with cotton or fine tow 
(E, Fig. III.) to replace muscles and pull leg back before it dries.f Treat the other 
ones at certain times, can only be made out by a careful examination of the parts with the aid of a mag¬ 
nifying glass. The testicles or male organs and ovaries of the female are situated in the abdominal 
cavity; they rest on the upper end (butin front) of the kidneys—two conspicuous dark-brown bodies 
lying in the cavity of the sacrum—opposite the region commonly called * ‘ the small of the back." 1 ‘ The 
testicles are a pair of sub-spherical or rather ellipsoidal bodies, usually of the same size, shape and 
color and are commonly of a dull opaque whitish tint. They always lie close together'_ (Coues). 
The ovary is an irregular mass of little granules of different sizes and a grayish-white color. 
* Sew with white thread and needle cuts and shot holes made in the skin. 
+ If skin becomes dry moisten it with water. Some taxidermists never skin out the legs until all other 
details of skinning have been finished. 
