for small birds, is to pass a sharpened wire, ac- 

 cording to the size of each leg, and then to fill every 

 part of the skin with cotton- wool, carefully avoiding 

 any unnatural distention ; gradually moulding the 

 bird into form as it dries, and supporting it in its 

 position by wool on every side until thoroughly dry, 

 and ready to be affixed to the branch or board in the 

 cabinet. 



The second method, which answers remarkably 

 well in strong skinned birds, is to first wrap the 

 bones of the wings with a little tow, and return them 

 into their position ; then cut three pieces of nealed 

 iron- wire, suitable to the size of the species ; sharpen 

 the ends, and pass one through the skull, making an 

 artificial neck, exactly the size of the one removed, of 

 tow, or fine hay, and wrapped firmly round with 

 string; the other two wires are then to be passed up 

 the legs, and the thighs made in the same way as 

 the neck; an artificial body is then to be formed, 

 and placed in the cavity, thrusting the wires of the 

 neck and thighs into their proper direction, firmly 

 fastening them, by twisting the wire into the body. 



The last and more common method is to pass 

 wires up the legs, and through the head ; also into 

 the wings, making a sort of frame- work in the body, 

 and then filling the skin with tow, or cotton-wool. 



Whatever plan is adopted, it is necessary in sew- 

 ing them up, to pass the needle from the inside out- 

 wards, otherwise the feathers are displaced, and the 

 specimen much disfigured. In order to resemble 



