“On the subject of his instructions for skinning birds we have not much criticism to offer, except perhaps as regards his mode of filling out the skin after the preservative has been applied, and before the skin is sewn up. We have found by experience that, after the artificial neck of tow or cotton wool has been inserted, and the wing bones tied inside, the skin is much better filled by degrees with little bits of cotton wool inserted piecemeal, instead of with an artificial body
‘as nearly as possible shaped to the original body of the bird.’ The advantage of the former plan is that it is much more quickly executed, and a nice soft skin is the result, instead of a comparatively hard one. By introducing the wool piecemeal, too, scarcely any portion of the skin is left without support on the inside, as is often the case when a ‘made body’ is inserted. This is material; for if there be any want of inside support at a given point, pressure upon that point from the outside will cause the skin to crack. These remarks, however, must be taken to apply only to such specimens as are intended to be preserved as skins, and are not to be set up.
“Few amateurs, probably, give much time to mounting their specimens, for they can get them so well done by professional taxidermists, at prices varying to suit all purses. The art of skinning wild animals and birds, however, and curing or dressing animal hides, should be acquired by every sportsman and naturalist who intends to travel and collect and bring home trophies. To such a one we may specially recommend the chapters which are devoted to this portion of the subject. In this, as in other respects, Mr Browne’s book is a ‘practical’ manual of taxidermy.”
TAXINE. A poisonous alkaloid present in the leaves and seeds of the yew (Taxus faccata).
TEA. Syn. Thea, L. The dried leaves of the Chinese tea plants (Thea Bohea and Thea viridis).
It was formerly supposed that BLACK TEAS could only be obtained from T. Bohea, and GREEN TEAS from T. viridis, but Fortune and others have proved that both sorts may be made from either species, and that the differences in colour and flavour depend chiefly on the age of the leaves and the treatment they undergo in the drying process. Another species, named Thea Assamica, furnishes Assam tea.
Mulder gives the following as the composition of tea:
| Black Tea. | Green Tea. | |
| Essential oil | 0·60 | 0·79 |
| Chlorophyll | 1·84 | 2·22 |
| Wax | 0·00 | 0·28 |
| Resin | 3·64 | 2·22 |
| Gum | 7·28 | 8·56 |
| Tannin | 12·88 | 17·80 |
| Theine | 0·46 | 0·43 |
| Extractive matter | 21·36 | 22·80 |
| Colouring substances | 19·19 | 23·60 |
| Albumen | 2·80 | 3·00 |
| Fibre | 28·33 | 17·80 |
| Ash (mineral substances) | 5·24 | 5·56 |
Dr Walter Blyth, commenting upon the above, says, the amount of theine is certainly understated.
Pur. The chief adulteration of tea which is extensively practised at the present day is mixing it with a certain portion of exhausted tea-leaves, which have been redried and curled.