he two
to clear of flesh. Sometimes--but this with large birds only--the wing
may be advantageously cut from the outside along its entire length
underneath, the flesh removed, skin dressed, and the cut carefully
sewn up.

Do the same by the other wing, and then push the leg on the same side
up through the skin, pushing the skin down with the fingers and thumb
of the left hand, and pulling with the right, until you have stripped
the skin nearly down to the so-called "knee," q (not the proper knee,
however, that being situated higher up--Plate II), or tibio-tarsal
joint. At this joint a bundle of little "leaders," or muscles,
assemble; cut them away from around the bone (without interfering with
the joint, however), and they will roll up with the flesh to the head
of the bone previously cut off at the proper knee joint, and can there
be easily pulled off. (In practice, it will be found that retaining
the full length of this bone--the tibia--is not desirable for
subsequent operations; it may therefore be advantageously shortened by
one-half.)

Anoint with the preservative and neatly wrap a piece of tow around the
leg-bone (or tibia) to the supposed shape of the flesh previously
removed. Return the leg to its natural position; and repeat the same
on the other side.

The tail is now the only thing left which requires to be freed from
flesh. Keeping the beak still from you, push the tail, with the left
hand, as far up into the body as possible, then clear it of every
particle of flesh by scraping and cutting, taking care to cut away the
oil ducts or glands--usually full of a thick fat--and being careful
also not to cut away the attachment of the roots of the feathers to
the skin; anoint with the preservative, and return. Several little
streaks of fat in various parts of the skin may now be seen, which
must be carefully scraped away.

The wing bones must now be tied nearly together by the pieces of
thread previously attached; the distance between them varies with the
size of the bird's body previously removed (this knowledge is, of
course, gained by experience, but amateurs are recommended to take
careful measurements of this and other analogous points). The whole of
the skin of the back, body, and throat is to be well anointed. Now
take the forceps (see Fig. 20), and form a little neck of tow on it,
introduce it into the skin, leaving the end of the tow resting against
the back of the head. Then insert some larger piece