48 BULLETIN OF THE BUSSEY INSTITUTION. 
-The young of cats and dogs, when but a few days or hours old, may 
be humanely destroyed by drowning, if properly executed. This can 
be best accomplished by placing them in a tight bag containing a 
stone of sufficient weight to insure speedy sinking. 
The quickest method of terminating the existence of a large dog is, 
undoubtedly, to shoot him. To do this properly and effectually, it is 
far preferable to use a pistol, and to place the muzzle of it within a 
few inches of the head, at the side, just over and in front of the ear. 
If the rifle is used, the same spot should be aimed at. 
It is a common practice to shoot a dog with a pistol, the muzzle of 
which is directed behind the ear. In this case, unless exactly aimed 
in the right direction, the ball is likely to glance and pass through the 
soft parts of the neck, and although death might be the result of the 
shot, it would neither be so certain nor so instantaneous as if the brain 
had been pierced. 
In the attempt to destroy it, no animal should be merely maimed. 
For this reason, if a gun or fowling-piece should be used, it should be 
charged with buck-shot, the side of the head aimed at, and sufficiently 
near to insure speedy death. 
The same remarks apply to the destruction of cats. As this animal 
is smaller, however, death may be instantly effected by small shot 
fired from a gun at the head, sufficiently near to prevent the scatter- 
ing of the charge. 
The remarks which we have already made as regards producing in- 
sensibility by a blow upon the brain may equally apply to poultry. 
The almost universal method of killing by chopping off the head of a 
fowl, and allowing the body to flutter about upon the ground, is not 
an agreeable sight, and has certainly a demoralizing effect upon those 
who witness it, especially upon the young and those who are not yet 
callous to such sights. The same may be said also of the practice of 
opening the blood-vessels in the necks of poultry, and allowing them 
to bleed to death more or less slowly. Therefore, to produce insensi- 
bility, make use of either of the following modes. 
1. Grasp the bird by the legs, place its head upon a block, and 
strike it a smart, quick blow with a small club, or with some equally 
efficient weapon, and then immediately sever the head from the body | 
by a sharp cleaver or hatchet. Retain the body in the hand until all 
fluttering has ceased. 
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