g2 METHODS IN THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 



Plate XIX, Fig. 7, and as I advise in the foot-note on page 42. Skin 

 down the neck as far as possible, for the head of an ostrich cannot 

 pass through the skin of the neck. Detach the cervical vertebrae as 

 near to the head as possible without breaking any of the bones, as we 

 must use them in forming the neck. Turn the skin back and make 

 an opening cut in the back of the head and far enough down the neck 

 to take out that portion which remains (Plate XIX, Fig. 5), and after 

 you have skinned and cleaned this part of the neck and head and have 

 thoroughly poisoned them, fill the eye-sockets with cotton, but do not 

 yet sew the opening up as seen in Plate XIX, Fig. 6, and as recom- 

 mended in foot-note on page 70, for through this opening we can 

 more easily adjust the skin of the neck over the clay-covered vertebrae 

 and form the muscles of the head, etc., than we could were it closed. 

 Sew the opening up when this has been done. As we now have the 

 skin off, cured with arsenical paste and powdered alum, we will wrap 

 it in a damp blanket, for it will take two days at least to complete 

 the specimen, and it is necessary to have the skin soft and pliable when 

 we place it on the manikin, which we shall now begin to build. 

 ]\Iake a center board exactly the shape of the contour of the body 

 which lies before you. The shape of the ostrich body is illustrated 

 precisely in our Plate XXIII. Cut three square holes in this center 

 board for the purpose of sewing the tow through and through as fig- 

 ured in Plate XXIII («, h, c) to build out the manikin. Now lay the 

 skin out on the floor and arrange the legs in the position you desire to 

 have the bird appear when mounted — standing, running or stepping. 

 The latter is the attitude in our plate. Take a piece of large- 

 sized annealed wire and obtain the exact position of the legs by 

 placing the wire along the leg-bones and follow closely and neatly 

 everv bend in the joints down to the sole of the foot, precisely as we 

 have it in our illustration (Plate XXIII). Out of half-inch round iron 

 rods make from these patterns their counterparts in form ; at the same 

 time have them threaded at both ends and provided with nuts and 

 washers. If you cannot do this yourself have your blacksmith do it 

 for you. Now, if you will examine figure d in our plate you will see 

 that the leg-irons are to be fastened in an iron square which resem- 

 bles a hinge open at right angle. Three of the holes made in this 

 square are to fasten it on the center board with screws or bolts ; the 

 other three are made large enough for the reception of leg-irons. We 

 make three holes for the leg-irons, but, of course, only use one. 

 The other two are made for emergency — in case you have placed the 

 iron square too far forward or backward you can take the nut off and 



