METHODS L\ THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 109 



tow is the thing to use in the larger ones. This should be made in one 

 mass, rather firmly moulded into something like the shape of the bird's 

 body or trunk, but rather less in bulk. Insert this into the skin until 

 it fits nicely, bring the edges of the incision together and the skin is 

 about completed. In some cases the opening is held together by tak- 

 ino- one or two stitches with a needle and thread. 



The usual fault of beginners is in using too much stuffing, thus 

 making the skin to " bulge out " in the wrong places, especially be- 

 tween the shoulders and along the neck. Never make the neck of a 

 skin too long. The specimen is usually meant to lie on its back with 

 the head drawn down near the body. It only remains to " set " the 

 specimen in a shapely manner by folding the wings neatly, adjusting 

 the head and neck, bringing the legs together and crossing them. The 

 throat of the bird should be filled with cotton and the skin can now be 

 labeled and placed in a drying-board. 



These are found very useful in forming or moulding the .shape of 

 the skin. They are made by gluing or tacking pieces of thin wood of 

 the same size on a board, equal distances apart. Pieces of heavy paper 

 are fitted between the cross-boards and glued or tacked in position, so 

 as to form semi-cylindrical grooves (Plate XXV, Figs. 1 and 2). Tin 

 or zinc can be used for making drying-boards for large birds. The old- 

 fashioned paper cone, in which you thrust the bird head foremost, pin- 

 ning the cone on the wall while the bird is drying, is an excellent method 

 in some cases. All birds with crests should have the head turned 

 slightly to one side and their crests raised. This is illustrated in Plate 

 XXVII, Figs. 1 and 2. 



Ducks, herons, geese and all other long-necked birds should, 

 when placed to dry, rest upon the breast with the head and neck 

 placed upon the back. The feet of the long-legged waders should be 

 placed underneath the breast. This is beautifully illustrated in Plate 

 XXVII, Figs. 3, 5 and 6, in skins of the Great Blue Heron, Avocet and 

 Marbled Godwit. In Fig. 4 of the same plate we have an illustration 

 of the skin of the Hooded Merganser, which has just as long a neck 

 as some of the ducks. When preparing a long-necked skin in this 

 manner always wrap tow to the natural thickness of the neck around 

 a piece of wire, anchor it in the skull cavity and form the body-filling 

 around it. All long-necked birds should be treated in this manner, no 

 matter how you place the neck. It will often prevent them from becom- 

 ing broken oflf. The opening in all large skins should be neatly sewn 

 up. All skins prepared for the cabinet and all specimens mounted should 

 have a label attached to the legs giving the species, sex, locality, date of 



