through this
incision. As it is hardly possible to make an outline sketch of a large
animal, as full a set of measurements as possible is useful in all
cases.

[Illustration: SKINNING LARGE ANIMAL FOR MOUNTING. CUT ON DOTTED LINES.]

The bones of the legs will be in the way attached to the skin and the
two upper bones of each leg may be detached and if lack of space or
transportation make it necessary, thrown away, though if the bones of
one hind leg and one front leg are preserved artificial duplicates may
be carved.

[Illustration: SKINNING BIRD-BREAST CUT.]

In skinning birds, after fresh cotton plugs have been put in place the
feathers are parted and the opening incision made through the skin only
from the middle of the breast to the root of the tail. Separate the skin
and flesh on each side until the knee is reached, push this up until the
knife or scissors can be passed under it and the leg severed at the
joint. A little corn meal sprinkled on the exposed flesh and the
operator's fingers will prevent the feathers adhering and becoming
soiled as the work proceeds.

Cut off the flesh in which the tail quills are rooted leaving it on the
skin with one or two of the last vertebrae. Use care in this or you will
cut the skin above the tail too. The body may now be hung up by a cord
tied to the stump of one of the legs and both hands used in separating
and turning the skin back until the wings are reached. The skin is
loosened around these and they may be severed at the elbow joint unless
the bird is to be mounted with wings spread, when it will be best to
unjoint at the shoulder and preserve the entire wing bones.

[Illustration: HOODED MERGANSER.]

With the wings detached we skin on to the base of the skull. In some of
the ducks, and other water birds, woodpeckers and owls the neck is so
slender and the skull so large that it is necessary to cut the neck off
here and making a cut down the back of the head and neck continue the
skinning of the head through it. Do not cut or tear the membrane of the
ears but pull it out with the forceps and work down over the eyes,
cutting the membrane connecting the skin but not the lids or eyeball
itself. The liquid contents of the eye are particularly sticky and
difficult to remove from feathers.

Continue skinning to the base of the bill, scoop the eyes from their
sockets and cut loose the forward part of the skull from the neck. This
is usually accomplished with four snip