II.
Arsenic.
Pulverized Alum. Equal parts.
Mix.
Label: Poison!!
The arsenic is to poison, and the alum to act as an astringent, especially in setting the feathers and fur of skins partially decayed. As arsenic is an irritant poison, great care should be taken while using. See that the hands are free from all scratches, cuts, hang-nails, and broken skin. These may be covered with court-plaster or collodium. Wash the hands immediately after using, and be careful to clean well under the nails. With these precautions there is little or no danger, and it may be used with the greatest impunity. Avoid all so-called "arsenical soaps," as they are both dangerous and disagreeable to handle. Use nothing but the above receipts, and you will succeed far better. Having all these materials and implements at hand, we are now prepared to go on with our work.
LABELLING.
Let us take this Blue Jay for your first attempt. The first thing to be done is to measure and label it—and, by the way, never neglect this, for a bird without its label in a collection, is like a ship at sea without its rudder. Length.—Lay the bird on its back, and with a pair of dividers (for a large bird a tape line must be used) measure from the tip of the beak (the head lying flat on the table) to the tip of the tail. Place the points of the dividers on a rule that is divided into one-hundredths of an inch, and see how much they measure. Extent.—Place the bird across the ruler, and using reasonable force, stretch the wings out, and see how far they reach. Length of Tail.—Place one point of the dividers at the end of the "pope's nose," and open them until the other is at the tip of the longest tail feather. The Tarsus.—Place one point of the dividers at the middle of the sole of the foot, and measure as far as the first joint. The Beak.—Place one point of the dividers at the beginning of the cere, on the upper mandible, and open them until the other is at the tip of the beak. In addition to these I advise you to keep the weight of each specimen, especially in the case of game birds. Set all these measurements, etc., down on your label as you go along; also color of eye, contents of stomach (after skinning), and the number of the bird. This number must correspond to a number in your Ornithological Ledger—a book in which you should keep an account of each day's doings; the number of birds killed, the number used, attitudes, etc., and whatever else may be of interest to you regarding the day's shooting.
BLOOD STAINS.
These may be removed before skinning, by gently washing with a sponge and a little water, and afterwards dried by working into the feathers pulverized plaster of Paris, or potato starch, until the water is all absorbed, and the feathers become dry and clean; then shake all plaster or starch from the feathers. Now fill the beak, anus, and shot holes, if you have not previously done so,[A] with cotton, and we are ready to begin
[A] See Hunting and Hygiene.