HOW TO MAKE A BIRDSKIX 



49 



ball between the blades of the forceps in such way that the instru- 

 ment confines the folded-over edges, and with a wriggling motion 

 insinuate it aright into the body. Before relaxing the forceiis, jiut 

 your thumb and forefinger in the bird's armpits, and pinch the 

 shoulders together till they almost touch ; this is to make sure that 

 there is no stuffing between the shoulders, — the whole mass lying 

 breastwards. Loosen the forceps and withdraw them. If the ball 

 is rightly made and tucked in, the elasticity of the cotton will 

 chiefly expend itself in puffing out the breast, which is just Avhat is 

 wanted. Be careful not to push the body too far in ; if it impacts 

 against the skin of the neck, this will infallibly stretch, driving the 

 shoulders apart, and no art will remedy the unsightlj^ gap resulting. 

 You see I dwell on this matter of the shoulders ; the whole knack 

 of stuffing correctly focuses just over the shoulders. If you find you 

 have made the body too large, pull it out and make a smaller one ; 

 if it fits nicely about the shoulders, but is too long to go in, or too 

 puffy over the belly, let it stay, and pick away shreds at the open 

 end till the redundancy is remedied. Your bird is now stuffed. 

 Close the opening by bringing the edges of the original cut together. 

 There is no use of sewing up the cut for a small bird ; if the 

 stuflang is correct, the feathers Avill hide the opening ; and if they 

 do not, it is no matter. You are not making an object for a show- 

 case, but for a naturalist's cabinet. Supposing you to have been so 

 far successful, little remains to be done ; the skin already looks very 

 much like a dead bird ; you have only to give the finishing touches, 

 and " set " it. Fixing the Avings nicely is a great point. Fold each 

 wing closely ; see that the carpal bend is well defined, that the 

 coverts show their several oblique rows perfectly, that all the quills 

 override each other like shingles. Tuck the folded wings close up 

 to the body — rather on the l>ird's bade than along its sides ; see 

 that the wing tips meet over the tail (under the tail as the bird lies 

 on its back) ; let the carpal angle nestle in the plumage ; have the 

 shoulders close together, so that the interscapular feathers shingle 

 over the scapulars. If the wing be pressed in too tightl}^, the 

 scapulars will rise up on end ; there must be neither furrow nor 

 ridge about the insertion of the wings ; everything must lie perfecth^ 

 smooth. At this stage of the process lift u}) the skin gingerly, and 

 let it slip head first through one hand after the other, pressing here 

 or there to correct a deformity, or uniformly to make the whole 

 skin compact. The wings set, next bring the legs together, so that 

 the bones Avithin the skin lie parallel with each other ; bend the 

 heel -joint a little, to let the tarsi cross each other about their 

 middle ; lay them sidewise on the tail, so that the naturally flexed 

 toes lie flat, all the claws facing each other. See that the neck is 

 perfectly straight, and, if anything, shortened rather than out- 



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