55 HOW TO MAKE A BIRDSKIN. 



final adjustment of the head. The commonest mistake is get- 

 ting it too far away from the body. In the ordinary attitudes 

 of most birds, little neck shows, the head appearing nestled 

 upon the shoulders. If the neck appears too long, it is not 

 to be contracted by pushing the head directly down upon it, 

 but by making an S curve of the neck. No precise direc- 

 tions can be given for the set of the head but you may be 

 assured it is a delicate, difficult matter ; the slightest turn of 

 the bill one way or another may alter the whole expression of 

 the bird. You will of course have determined beforehand 

 upon your attitude — upon what you wish the bird to appear 

 to be doing ; then, let your meaning be pointed by the bird's 

 bill. 



On the general subject of striking an attitude, and giving 

 expression to a stuffed bird, little can be said to good purpose. 

 If you are to become proficient in this art, it will come from 

 your own study of birds in the field, your own good taste and 

 appreciation of bird life. The manual processes are easily 

 described and practised — it is easy to grind paint, I suppose, 

 but not so to be an artist. I shall therefore only follow the 

 above account of the general processes with some special 

 practical points. After "attitudinizing" to your satisfaction, or 

 to the best of your ability, the plumage is to be carefully 

 " dressed." Feathers awry may be set in place with a light 

 spring forceps, or needles fixed in a handle — one by one if 

 necessary. When no individual feather seems out of place, it 

 often occurs that the general plumage has a loose, slovenly 

 aspect. This is readil}^ corrected by wrapping with fine thread. 

 Stick a pin into the middle of the back, another into the breast, 

 and perhaps others elsewhere. Fasten the end of a spool of 

 sewing cotton to one of the pins, and carry it to another, 

 winding the thread about among the pins, till the whole surface 

 is covered with an irregular network. Tighten to reduce an 

 undue prominence, loosen over a depression ; but let the wrap- 

 ping as a whole be light, firm and even. This procedure, nicely 

 executed, will give a smoothness to the plumage not othei'wise 

 attainable, and may be made to produce the most exquisite 



