INSTRTJCTIONS FOR THE PHESERVATIOK OF BIRDS. 31 



into their place, and will not move. Another excellent method 

 is to tie the wing-bones together at the elbows, leaving the natural 

 space between them. It is also well to take a fine needle, and 

 gently lift the skin of the crown and sides of the head, so that the 

 ear-coverts fall into their natural position. Then the body of the 

 bird can be filled in with wool or tow to its natural size, and finally 

 wrapped round with a thin layer of cottou-wadding, and left to dry. 



The two mandibles of the bill should be restored to their exact 

 position as in life, and either tied together with cotton {iiot through 

 the nostrils) or fastened by means of a tiny piece of cobbler's wax 

 placed in the tip of the upper mandible. In finishing the skin, the 

 feet, with the claws folded, should be placed side by side, and fastened 

 together by means of a pin run transversely through the soles. The 

 protruding ends of the pin can afterwards be cut oil:' close to the feet. 

 This is iNlr. Foster's plan, and is by far the best and neatest method. 



It is advisable to unwrap all the skins the next day to see that 

 the feathers are smooth and the wings are in position, before they 

 are finally laid in their tin case for transmission to England. To 

 each specimen should be attached a small label with the locality, 

 date, altitude, and sex clearly marked on one side, and, on tiie othei-, 

 the colour of the bill, feet, and iris. The plan adopted by some 

 collectors of attaching a number to the specimen and keeping a 

 corresponding entry in a book is not to be recommended, as, if 

 the number or the book gets lost, the history of the specimen is 

 lost also. 



