194 TAXIDERMY AND ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING. 



Inasmuch as the legs of an ostrich or emu always require to 

 be cut open and completely skinned, the manikin method is per- 

 fectly adapted to their wants. If the skin is so shrunken that 

 it requires vigorous stretching, its body must be stuffed with 

 straw after the neck and legs have been made and joined to 

 a centre-board, precisely as directed for long-haired mammals 

 above medium size. I may also remark in this connection that 

 I have seen both the complete skin and skeleton of a large 

 ostrich preserved and mounted to stand side by side, but I 

 pitied the operator when he had to make a full set of bones for 

 the legs and feet, and a wooden skull with the horny shell of 

 the beak fastened upon it. At one stage of the proceedings the 

 outlook for the skin seemed anything but promising, and on 

 the whole I would not advise anyone save an expert to attempt 

 a similar task. 



MOUNTING BIKDS WITH WINGS SPREAD. In the first place, each 

 wing must have a wire large enough to adequately support it. 

 This should be straight, bright, well-oiled, and filed sharp at 

 both ends. One end is to be inserted inside the skin, passed 

 along next to the wing-bones as far as the carpal joint, from 

 thence it is forced on as far as possible between the skin and 

 the under surface of the metacarpal bones until it emerges from 

 the feathers not far from the end of the fleshy portion of the 

 wing. The wing must be so straight that the wire can be 

 slipped through it freely backward and forward. It must next 

 be passed through the artificial body at the point where the 

 upper end of the humerus is attached to the coracoid in the 

 complete skeleton, and very firmly clinched in the same way as 

 described for the leg- wires. Then lay the bird upon its back, 

 place the wing exactly in position, bend the wing- wires so they 

 will fit snugly against the wing-bones, and tie them firmly 

 down. After that, the middle joint of each wing is to be poi- 

 soned, stuffed with fine tow, and sewn up neatly. Of course the 

 wings can not be given their correct elevation and pose until 

 the bird is placed firmly upon its temporary perch, unless it is 

 to be represented as flying. 



Now is the time to properly dispose of the feet. If the 

 talons are to be grasping any kind of prey, the object must be 

 placed at once, before the feet begin to dry. If the bird is to 



