JV'afuralisfs Calendar. 
239 
Method oe Preserving Birds —The following directions are given in accordance with the 
promise made in the August number, and it is hoped will he found useful to such as may be 
desirous of preserving tlieir owni specimens. The implements and materials necessary are a 
sharp-pointed |)enkiiife, a folding-stick, (ora folding-knife, with a pen-blade in the end, will 
be more convenient,) a pair of small, and a pair of strong scissors, a file, a ]>air of w ire-nippers, 
a pair of pliers, iron wire of vwious thicknesses, which has been previously softened in the fire, 
tow, cotton-wool, gla.s.s eyes of various colours, (w'hich may he procured at the toy-shops in 
most large towns,) and a quantity of the following compositions:— 
ANTISEFl'IC POWDER. ANTISEPTIC PASTE. 
Burnt Alum, powdered,. .3 oz. White Arsenic,. 2 oz. 
M'hite .Arsenic,. 1 — Spanish Soap, . I — 
Camphor, . h — Soft Soap,. ^ — 
To be reduced to a line powder, and kept in a Camphor,. | — 
corked bottle. Spirit of AVhne, a few dro[)S. 
To he beaten together into a paste and 
kept in a covered pot or box. 
On procuring a bird w'hich it is wished to preserve, it is necessary in the first iilace to note 
the colour of the eyes, bill and legs, and any hare skin which occurs on the heads of some species, 
as these parts are liable to change after death. Some hours must be allowed before ihe bird be 
skinned, in order to give time for the blood to coagulate, &c. 
Tf the bird be large it should be suspended by one leg during the operation of skinning. On 
gently removing the feathers on the breast, a bare space w ill be found, in this an opening must 
be made through the skin to the full length of the breast bone. [28] T’he skin must be 
loosened from the flesh in all directions by means of the 
handle of the folding knife, and gently slipped hack as far as 
the first joint of the wnng, which is to be separated. The 
other wing wilt now be easily separated in the same manner. 
The skin must next be drawn from off the neck till the back 
of the skull appears, which must be parted from the neck at 
the first joint. The bird should now be suspended by the 
neck, and the skin drawn downwards to the thighs, which 
must be divided at the joint, leaving the thigh bones and legs 
attached to the skin. The .skin must be drawn downward 
to the tail; in separating this from the body, care must be ta¬ 
ken not to loosen the feathers; it will be necessary therefore 
for this purpose, to leave a few joints of the back bone at¬ 
tached to the skin. The eyes, brain, tongue, &c must now, 
be removed through the opening at the back of the head,,, 
and all fat and flesh carefully cleared from the skin, wings, 
thighs and tail. In removing the eyes, the thumb and fin¬ 
ger must be pressed strongly on the outside, and a small wire 
hook being introduced at the back of the head they may be 
easily drawn out without bursting. 
A quantity of the Antiseptic Powder must be put into the head, which must be stuffed 
with cotton wool, and the whole skin and every place wliere a particle of flesh remains, well 
rubbed with the powder. The skin being turned right side outwards, a piece of wire, of a 
thickness proportioned to the size of the bird, and reaching from tlie front of the head to the 
tail, must he cut off and sharpened at both ends, and a .shorter piece twisted round the middle 
of it; [29] the upper end must now be wrapped round with tow, to the thickness of the neck, 
and passed up the skin 
^ projects thro’ the skull; 
the other end must be thrust through at the underside of the tail. Smaller wires of a proper 
length, and sharpened at both ends, must how be passed along between the bone and skin of 
the'wings and legs, and the inner ends fastened by twisting them into the main -wire. [30] The 
wires must be left projecting beyond the feet, in 
order to fix the bird on a board or branch in the 
ca.se. The body must now be filled out in every 
part to its natural size and shape with tow'; the 
opening neatly sew^ed up with silk or strong thread, 
the legs, wings, and neck placed in their natural 
position, and an easy attitude given to the bird. 
The eyes must be inserted, the lids drawn a little 
over them, to give them a natural appearance, 
the projecting wires nipped off, the bird fixed on 
a board, and in about a week it will be ready to fix 
in a case. 
Tf the skin is not intended lo be stuffed immedi- 
diately, the Avtiieptic Paste must be used instead 
of the Powder. 
Quadrupeds are preserved in a similar manner. 
METEOROLOGY . 
This Month is proverbially dull and gloomy. Dense fogs are common, particularly in the 
Metropolis, where the immense mass of smoke and vapour being prevented i'rom ascending, 
rai.xes with the fog, and becomes so thick, as almost to exclude the light of the sun at noon-day. 
Bvrometer. —Mean Height 29,776 Highest S0,270. Lowest29,080inches. 
Thermomete 1 .—Mean Temperature 42,9 degrees. Highest 62. Lowest 23 degrees. 
Rain. —.Mean quantity 2,400 inches. 
Evaporation. —Mean 0,770. 
Duffisld-Bank, Oct. 1831. O. J. 
