METHODS IX THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. ^-j 



anchor it firmly as seen in Figs. 2 and 5, Plate XXI. Some 

 taxidermists bend the wire at its point (Fig. o, Plate XXI) and 

 clinch it under the metacarpal bones. Having inserted the wires 

 of the wings, replace the fleshy portion of each wing with tow and sew 

 the openings up neatly. The art of giving a natural poise to the body 

 and proper bend and elevation of wings all remains with the operator. 

 This must be done after the bird has been placed on a temporary 

 perch. If it is to be in full flight the feet must be drawn up and al- 

 most concealed in the feathers; if grasping prey, place the object at 

 once underneath the talons before the feet begin to dry. 



The feathers of the wing should be held in their proper place by 

 pinning card-board over them, as represented in Fig. '1, Plate XXI. 

 The tail-feathers of all large birds should be wired by running a piece 

 of small wire through each feather at the flat part of the quill near 

 the body, and should also have card-board pinned across them, and 

 then spread in position. 



Mounting Long-necked Birds. — I use only one method in mount- 

 ing long-necked birds, and I wall match it against any method that has 

 heretofore been devised. My venerable instructor in taxidermy, Dr. 

 Theodore Jasper, has, for thirty-five years, mounted the herons, etc., 

 on this same principle. In securing the best results it is the simplest 

 and most practical method known. Prof. J. S. Wiley and many others 

 have used a similar method but not exactly like the one I shall de- 

 scribe. It is applied to birds that are heron-like, from the size of the 

 Least Bittern Botaiiriis exilis (Gmel.) and upwards; in any of the true 

 cranes, in the ostrich, emu and the like. The necks of the herons 

 are long, thin and flat, and the angular joints of the neck vertebrae are 

 often visible through the thin coat of feathers. To imitate nature what 

 is better in this case than to use the bony structure of the neck itself? 

 Try it, and you will never waste time on experimenting with other 

 methods. 



Skin your heron exactly as I have directed in this chapter, and 

 after having cut the cervical vertebrae ofi at the base of the skull, sever 

 it where it joins the body as we have it illustrated in Fig. 1, Plate 

 -XXII. You now have in your hands the bony structure and muscles 

 of the neck, the wind-pipe, etc. Clean this vertebrae of its flesh and it 

 will appear as in Fig. 2, Plate XXII. Do not disjoint the vertebrae; 

 leave them remain attached to one another, and clean them 

 thoroughly and poison the whole well. Sharpen a piece of annealed 

 wire at both ends ; make this wire long enough so that vou can anchor 

 it in the artificial body as seen in Fig. 4, Plate XXII, and also long 



