Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-08
HINTS FOR BIRD COLLECTORS.

Il
HINTS FOR BIRD COLLECTORS.
A Book ON the Subject Newly Published by
/ the Smithsonian.
THE SORT OF GUN ONE SHOULD HkyH TO SHOOT
BIRDS VITA KIT OF TOOLS AND OTHER
| NEcEssARIEs-ARsENIc FOR POISONING sPEcI-
| MESs-sKISNING. CLEANING AND STUDYING.
| THOUSANDS OF BOYS ALL OVER THE
u country who have developed an interest as
amateurs in the collecting and stufing of birds
viii find instruction in these arts of most val
liable sort in little book just issued by the
Smithsonian Institution.
To begin with, the collector must have . gun
good for all purposes. 1t should be Of twelve
gauge, with double barrels twenty-eight
inches long One barrel should bs 'choked, -
the other "cylinder bored" and the latter
should have fitted to it auxiliary barrel for
32-caliber shells. These latter should be loaded
with American wood powder. grade D, and No.
IL shot. With the auxiliary barrel, which may
be carried in the pocket when not in actual use.
one is always prepared for the smallest speci-
mems. Without it there would be difficulty in
loading the twelve-gauge shells with sufi-
| in orchards or wherever else a noise is to be
avoided. cane gun of 22-caliber is valuable.
| A good substitute is an ordinary 22-caliber
breech-loading pistol. with the barrel length
| ened by soldering to it piece OF brass tube .
foot or more long.
THE FEWER TOOLS THE BETTER.
The fewer tools the collector has to carry the
better. Some very skilled experts use nothing
in skinning bird but pocket knife or q pair
Of short-biaded. sharp-pointed scissors. But
the novice will absolutely require little kit Of
| implements. He must have dissecting knife,
| such pair OF scissors as above mentioned, .
i pair of heavy cutting forceps to break the leg
and wing bones Of large birds. pair Of small
spring forceps with narrow points for adjust
ing the feathers and needles and thread for
| sewing up openings in the skin. Many taxi
dermists use hook by which to attach the
| carcass of q bird during the process Of skim
| ming. thus allowing the free use Of both hands.
For stuffing the bird raw cotton of the best
/ quality is needed and this should be used for
all specimens save large ones, which may be
put up more economically with tow or excel
sior" shavings. The best material for the pres
ervation of skins is powdered arsenic. While
| this substance will keep of decay. it will not
repel the attacks Of insects, especially in warm
countries- 1t is therefore desirable to paint
the bills, feet and other unfeathered parts with
oil of red cedar. bottle Of which may be car
ried along on excursions. The best receptacle
| for carrying the birds secured is a tin box with
! sliding lid which may be suspended by . strap
| should be carried along also, a. well as some
paper cornucopias.
| WHAT TO DO FIRST
| Immediately after a bird is killed II should
be picked up by the feet (never by the taiD and
held head downward to allow the blood to drain
| from the mouth, which may be fastened by
gently pressing the bird; Flip off or other
| wise carefully remove the blood clots which
may adhere to the bill, feathers, or other parts.
and apply corn meal to absorb what may re-
main. In the absence Of corn meal clean sand
will do.
The holes made by the shot, together with
| the throat and tine internal, but never the ex-
ternal, nostrils, should be plugged with cotton
| to prevent the escape Of blood and the juices of
the stomach. Before plugging the throat a
| small quantity OF corn meal or clean sand
should be inserted. this will absorb the blood,
&C.. and prevent its escaping around the cot
ton. In very warm weather before the throat
| is plugged the gullet should be swabbed with
carbolic acid by saturating a small wad Of cot
ton which has previously been wrapped around
the end Of a small stick. When the bird hal
been properly cleaned and plugged it should be
carefully dropped, head downward, into g
cornueopia of suitable size.
| wounded bird should never be killed by
humping or pounding the skull If the speci
men is a small one the easiest and best way ii
Il
meath the wings and squeeze it tightly, thui
causing its death almost instantaneously by
suffocation. Birds ought to be skinned as soor
as possible and should never be permitted te
become offensive before operations are com
menced upon them.
How TO SKIN BIRDS.
Before the process Of skinning 10 actually
begun certain preiiminaries are necessary i
| the work il to go on smoothly. A suitabl,
/ tab stand Or work bRnch frat he
vided and placed in a good light A pape1
, cover should then be put over it ian old news
, paper is as good as anything). Then the boz
, containing the arsenic, that containing tn,
corn meal, the skinning and stuffing nipple
. ments. the cotton. needle and thread, labels O,
, tags. pencil, cleaning sponge and brush, cur
of clean water. DC. are to be placed in conve
nient positions on the table, room for the speci
men and the hands of the operator being o.
course reserved basin of water and towel
for cleaning and drying the hands. should alst
be within reach. After the bird has beer
, skinned, and the inner surface Of the Skin
thoroughly freed from blood by sponging OF
wiping, then the feathers may be washed clean
using a soft sponge and warm water, aud dried
with corn meal
The skinning Of the specimen having beer
completed the next thing is to apply the pre-
sentative. For this arsenic should be used. L
! may be applied either dry or as paste by mix
! ing with alcohol or water. IL the dry powder
is used ii should be kept in shallow box larg,
enough TO hold a medium sized bird, and. Will,
the skin is in every part turned wrong sid,
out, II should be laid upon the arsenic and tn,
latter applied thickly to every part. care being
! taken TO put plenty of the poison about tn
head, particularly close up to the base Of tn
bill. about the lower end of the denuded win,
and leg bones and about the base Of the tail
This is best done with the foot Of q common
| rabbit
There 10 far more art In stufhng birdskil
properly than in getting the skin of the bird
and the best way to learn how to do 1t il 4
take lessons from an expert