58 THE.OREGON NATURALIST. 
earliest nesting date of this species which 
has come to our notice. The first half of 
May is considered the best time to collect 
fresh eggs. Mr. Weeks also speaks of 
the sociability of this sparrow, saying that 
it often builds right in the crowded city. 
The eggs are a bluish green in ground 
color, spotted, speckled and sometimes 
blotched with cinnamon brown, and nearly 
always having more or less black on the 
large end in hierogiyphic lines. Often a 
wreath of brown, so thick as to hide the 
ground color, encircles the larger end. The 
average size of nineteen specimens is .87 
x .64. The largest in length was .94, the 
smallest .82: the largest in width .68, the 
smallest .58. 
TAXIDERMY. 
(continued from page 46) 
The bird should now be wound with fine 
cops or soft thread. Insert two or three pins 
along the back and a like number in the breast, 
and lightly wind the thread from pin to pin, 
including the pins in the wings which were left 
projecting; that the feathers may lie smooth 
and in place after the birdis dry. A little 
practice will enable you to wind the specimen 
in the best manner. 
Arrange the tail feathers between two strips 
of card-board; pushing pins where necessary 
through both strips at right angles to the tail 
feathers. Adjust the toes, place an elastic 
band around the bill, and set the specimen 
away to dry. Look at your specimen each day 
observing that the feathers are not disarranged 
in drying, when dry the eyes can be put in, 
first softening the eyelids, by placing damp 
cotton in the eye-sockets. Whenthe lids are 
soft and pliable, remove the cotton and _ insert 
a little putty, then put in the eyes,} observing 
that they are alike as to position. Arrange the 
eye-lids for much depends on this if the bird is 
to have a natural expression, Remove the 
winding and pins, cut off the neck wire, tke 
pins in wings, and tail wire. Fasten leg wires 
require painting the natural color, 
If your first work is not satisfactory, be not 
discouraged, but remember that. the  taxi- 
dermist who does acceptable work, has only 
attained his proficiency by continual practice. 
Birds whose skulls are large, as the ducks, 
geese, cranes, a few of the wood-peckers, etc., 
require a slit made at nape of head to remove 
and clean the skull; which must afterward be 
neatly sewn to-gether, Feathers that have 
been soiled with blood, may be cleansed, when 
the stains are fresh, by washing with warm 
water, using a soft sponge or wad of cotton, 
and lightly going over the feathers, rubbing in 
the same direction as the web, until all stains 
are removed. Then dry the feathers by ‘irst 
absorbing all outside water with blotting paper, 
finishing with calcined plaster, which is to be 
plentifully sifted around and over the wet 
feathers, and shaking out before plaster has 
time to set, (which it wili do very quickly). 
Use the plaster repeatediy in this manner 
until feathers are entirely dry. 
Grease and dirt can be removed with spirits 
of turpentine or benzine, absorbing the greasy 
It will be 
found a waste of time to attempt to clean, old 
turpentine with plaster as before. 
dried blood stains from feathers, especially if 
they are white. : 
To relax dried skins, wrap the feet and legs 
with wet cloths, allowing the cloth to remain 
until the toes can be bent, which will require 
some time in old skins, After the feet have 
become sufficiently relaxed, the stitches can be 
cut on the breast, the cotton in the body damp- . 
ened, the skin wrapped in cloth, and in a short 
time the breast will be sufficiently softened to 
allow the cotton to be removed without tearing 
the skin. Now refill with wet cotton and close- 
ly wrap the skin in several thicknesses of cloth. 
Allowing it to remain wrapped, until the 
skin is entirely relaxed, which will take more 
or less time, according to the age of skin. It 
may now be taken from the cloth, the cotton 
removed, and the skin thoroughly worked with 
the fingers until as pliable as it is possible to be 
made, when it may be mounted the same as a 
fresh skin. 
