502 TAXIDERMY. 



down, as it were, to the bone (at the eyes for example), it will 

 be necessary to pass a thread, with a sufficient knot at one 

 end, through these parts, and to let the end without a knot 

 hang loose after it has been drawn out at the opposite quarter. 

 Thus, there must be a thread in the extremities at the gape of 

 the mouth, and one at the corners of the eyes ; and others in 

 different parts of the body, according to the operator's judg- 

 ment. By pulling these at the end which hangs out, he will 

 be enabled to depress the parts into their natural shape. 



"The artificial eyes must be put in on the first day of the 

 operation, and taken out and put back again every time the 

 head of the specimen is modelled. 



" When all is completed, and the skin has become perfectly 

 dry, the artist takes out the chaff or saw- dust, and he finds 

 that the specimen is quite firm enough to stand without any 

 support from wires. He cuts three sides of a square hole 

 under the feet, to let out the chaff, and when this is done, he 

 returns the skin to its place. 



" A slit must be made in the crown of the head, or under 

 the jaws, to allow him to fit the artificial eyes with a little 

 putty or wax. The slit, if properly done, will leave no mark 

 on the fur. 



" If the quadruped be stuffed in distant countries, with an 

 intention to be sent home, it may be cut up, when finished, 

 into three or four different pieces, and this will facilitate the 

 carriage. When dividing it, the operator must take care to 

 hold his knife so as to humour the angle which the fur forms 

 with the skin. Thus, were I to cut a preserved skin in two 

 parts, the blade of my knife would point to the head, and the 

 haft to the tail of the animal. By attention to this, not a 

 hair of the fur will be cut during the operation. 



" I will just add here (although it be a digression), that 

 there is no difficulty in making the legs and feet of eagles, 

 turkeys, and other large birds, retain their natural size. 

 You may go through every known museum, and you will find 

 that the legs of these, and of all large birds, are dried and 



