Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/267

the back by passing it underneath the skin. In removing the skin you must try to shove in lieu of pulling, lest you stretch it out of shape. Press as lightly as possible upon the bird, stopping occasionally to take a view to see that all is right and that the feathers are not being soiled or broken. When you come to the head do not let the skin dangle from your hand or its own weight will stretch it. Bearing these things in mind, you can commence removing the skin in the following manner: Image missingFig. 148.The Incision. Press the skin apart at the incision, and dust the exposed part with Indian meal to absorb any fluids that may escape; carefully lift the skin on one side and separate from muscles of the breast with the point of your knife and a small ivory paper-folder alternately, as occasion may require, until the leg is reached and you have approached as near as possible to the wings. Having accomplished this, and dusted again with the Indian meal, the thighs must be pressed inward and the skin turned back far enough to allow you to use your knife and disarticulate the hip-joint. Bend the tail toward the back; keep down the detached skin upon each side of the incision with the thumb and first finger of the left hand; then with your knife make a deep cut, exposing the backbone at a point near the oil gland, which you will find near the root of the tail; sever the backbone near this