86 



'rilE OOLOCilST 



Hints on Skinning and Mounting Birds. 



Of course I do not intend to enrich 

 the minds of all the readers of this ar- 

 ticle with rare and new ideas, but I 

 think many can read, and learn some- 

 thing by it that will help them a great 

 deal in making up line specimens, both 

 of skins and mounted birds. Before [ 

 entered Wards Natural Science Estal)- 

 lishment I had the impression I knew 

 how to mount birds but I soon found I 

 knew but comparatively little about the 

 art. However I took carefal observa- 

 tions and soon learned points which I 

 Avish others that are still following in 

 my old path to know. If j'ou have col- 

 lected a bird and intend to make a skin 

 of it, never let it enter your cabinet un- 

 til every particle of blood stain is wash- 

 ed from it. This can be easily done 

 with clean water. 



If the bird is fat be sure and scrape it 

 well to prevent the grease from entire- 

 ly destroying your specimen. 



In skinning a bird never cut the ends 

 of the secondary quills loose from the 

 Ulna; l)ut», by cutting through under- 

 neath the wing, you can easily remove 

 the Hesh around the radius and idna. 



In all large birds it is an excellent 

 plan to I'emove the tendons from the 

 leg 



Always poison j-our specimens well 

 and fill the bodies as near as possil)le to 

 the natural size. 



In nearly all cases I think it is a poor 

 plan to sew the bodies up, as a great 

 many of our collectors do for when you 

 come to open them you are very liable 

 to damage them b^' the thread tearing 

 out. 



Always fold the wings and let them 

 dry as near as possible in their natural 

 position. 



Skins of Owls should never be laid ou 

 the back to dry, as the .soft llutt'y leath- 

 ers on the head are sure to get out of 

 place. 



If the bird has a long neck always in- 



sert a wire or slick the whole length to. 

 prevent its getting broken. If wire is. 

 used always choose zinc or copper, nev- 

 er iron, for it will rust and color your 

 specimen if it comes in contact with 

 the skin. If these points are observed 

 and carried out I trust each one of us 

 can escape the ever criticizing eye of 

 our brother ornithologists. 



In mounting a bird always use a solid 

 body. This is easily made by winding^ 

 excelsior with strong thread or string. 

 Make each body as near as possible the 

 some shape and size of the natural one. 



If the feathers are badly covered with 

 grease and dirt (as is generally the case 

 with all water birds) wash them in naph- 

 tha thoroughly, and then dry in a box 

 of plaster paris. With a small brush 

 continually beat the skin, turning it 

 over as you do so, as this will shake off' 

 the damp plaster and prevent it from 

 setting to the feathers, which otherwise 

 would be the case. Keep adding dry 

 plaster until the feathers are all dry. 

 Then with a small bellows you can blow 

 nearly all the plaster fi'om the bird. 



Always use as large wire as you can 

 conveniently. 



Be sure and have the ej-es of all your 

 specimens directly opposite each other 

 and looking at the same point. 



If the body is not just the right sizo^ 

 cut a slit through the skin under the 

 wing and with a wire you can build out 

 the body with cotton or tow to suit 

 youi-self. After the wings are folded in 

 place nobody luit yourself would ever 

 know the cuts were there. 



Do not mount all of j'our birds in one 

 position as is generally the case. Have 

 a variety fud you will feel proud of 

 them . 



If you have a skin of a rare and hand- 

 some bird that has been torn and bro- 

 ken no matter how bad, never throw it 

 away; but make your body and with 

 glue you can stick each section in place 

 If the feathers are all there, and the job 

 skillfully performed, I will defy any 



