4 BIRD-PRESERVING. 



knife an occasional touch, you are prepared, so far as 

 implements go. Then provide yourself with annealed 

 iron wire of various sizes ; some you may buy ready 

 for use, some not ; but you can anneal it yourself by 

 making it red-hot in the fire, and letting it cool in the 

 air. Common hemp is the next article, cotton 

 wadding, pounded whitening, and pounded alum, or 



chloride of lime ; as to the poisons which are used, 

 they will be spoken of by and by. You should also 

 have a common bradawl or two, and some pieces of 

 quarter-inch deal, whereon to stand the specimens 

 when preserved, if to be placed as walking on a plane ; 

 if not, some small pieces of twigs or small branches of 

 trees should be kept ready for use, of various sizes 

 according to the size of the bird j something of this 



