MOTXTIXU SMALL BIRDS. 187 



part of the whole operation is now before us. It now remains 

 to put the specimen on a perch, pin the wings fast to the bod; 

 adjust the feathers and wind them down, stuff the head, pin the 

 tail, and put in the eyes. 



AVith a piece of pine board four inches square, and two round 

 pine sticks, each about three inches long, make a rough T 

 perch, similar to the one standing vacant on the table in Plate 

 XII. The cross-piece should not be too large for the bird's feet 

 to grasp comfortably. With a small gimlet, or awl, bore two 

 holes in the cross-bar, on a slant, about an inch apart, run the 

 leg-wires through them, perch the bird naturally, and twist the 

 wires together once underneath, to hold it firmly. Study a liv- 

 ing bird or a good picture, and give your specimen a correct 

 and natural attitude. 



Out a piece of wire five inches long, sharpen one end, bend it 

 into a T shape, as in Fig. 50, and run the sharp end through 

 the base of the tail underneath, and on up into the body. The 

 tail feathers are to rest on and bo evenly supported by the 

 cross part at the lower end, which may be either straight or 

 curved, as occasion requires. 



With the small forceps, plume and dress the feathers all o^ IT 

 the bird, catching them near the root, a bunch at a time, and 

 pulling them into place where necessary. Work them against 

 the grain by lifting them up and letting them fall back into 

 place. It will be a great help if you can at this stage procure a 

 dead bird of the same kind to examine, and see precisely hov. 

 the feathers lie. One such specimen will aid you more than 

 pages of description. 



It often happens that the back, breast, or side of the bird is 

 not quite full enough at some point, or, in other words, is too 

 hollow. Xow is the time to remedy such defects. Lift tin- 

 wing and cut a slit lengthwise in the skin of the body under- 

 neath it, and through this opening insert fine clipped tow 

 wherever needed. The foivps is the best instrument to use in 

 doing this. The opening under the wing is of <j rent importance, 

 for it gives you command of one entire side of the bird's body. 

 You can by means of this hole fill out the back, breast, or shoul- 

 ders, if not full enough, and make other important changes in 

 the bird's form. There is no need to sew up the opening when 



