MOUNTING LARGE RIHDS. 197 



Iwst to insert the eyes in a bird as soon as it is finished other- 

 wise, but leave the bird to dry without them. Afterward, they 

 insert wet cotton, soften the eyelids, and then insert the clay 

 backing 1 and the eyes. They claim that this is necessary to 

 prevent the skin from being 1 drawn away from the eye by 

 shrinkage in the general drying. 



I hold that it is best to set the eyes at once, before the bird 

 dries, in order to secure the greatest degree of elasticity in 

 shaping the eyelids, and thereby have a more perfect mastery 

 of the situation. But having seen my friends secure as good 

 results by their method as I do by mine, I naturally conclude 

 that it is only a matter of personal preference, and either way 

 is good enough. 



