Birds are best displayed in dust-proof cases 
containing natural surroundings. A few hints on 
the subject of casing will be found in the next 
chapter. 
If the specimen is intended to be stored in a 
cabinet, it is merely stuffed with an artificial body, 
the wings fixed in position, and the legs crossed 
and tied together. This system has little to recom- 
mend it, beyond the fact that specimens thus 
treated admit of ready examination and are easily 
stored. When travelling, however, and time and 
Space are considerations, it is the best way of deal- 
ing with them, since they may be relaxed, and set 
up at any future time, though it should be remem- 
bered that a relaxed skin dries.very quickly, and can 
seldom be mounted so satisfactorily as what is 
familiarly known as a “‘ green ’’ skin. 
A word about relaxing. It is useless to try and 
do any good with a relaxed specimen until the skin it 
got thoroughly under control. The smaller skins 
are soon relaxed by wrapping them in a rag, and 
burying them in a box of clean damp sand until the 
wings and toes can be spread and closed with ease. 
The period of relaxation varies with the size of the 
bird, and may last from one to four days. 
The above method answers well with birds up to 
a medium size, but it is not so good with large 
specimens. With the latter, better results are ob- 
tained by immersing them in a bath of luke-warm 
water, to which a little vinegar has been added. 
When the skin has been well-soaked it should be 
35 
