text:  "Every bird that is caught should be examined and recognized and every one exhibiting signs of old age should be destroyed by pushing the joint of the thumb with force into the back of the head and severing the cervical vertebrae or _applying the teeth for that purpose_; but should these modes be disliked or impracticable _rather than torture the poor devoted animals_ by abortive attempts let their heads be cut off at once by a sharp table-knife