480 EXHIBITING AND JUDGING 



with only the head out of the water, the feathers should be lath- 

 ered with a good wool soap, being careful to work the soap into 

 the feathers, but not to rub across the grain or unduly ruffle 

 them. Next the bird is thoroughly rinsed in warm clean water, 

 care being exercised to get all the soap out of the feathers. It is 

 customary next to immerse the bird in a tub of clean cold water 

 to which have been added a few drops of laundry bluing, working 

 it well into the plumage. There must not be too much bluing 

 in the water, or it will give a blue tint to the ear lobes of birds 

 with white lobes. Next the bird is thoroughly rinsed once or 



FIG. 207. Students washing live birds for exhibition. (Photo from Cornell University.) 



twice in clean cold water. The important point in washing is to 

 remove every bit of the soap, or it will make the feathers curl 

 after drying. Then take a soft towel, and by patting and wrapping 

 it around the bird dry out the water. Then place the bird in a 

 clean coop to dry. The temperature of the room 85 at the 

 start should be gradually cooled to about 70. Too high a 

 drying temperature will make the feathers curl and have a ruf- 

 fled appearance. To make the feathers stand out from the body, 

 a little laundry starch may be sifted into them. An amateur 

 should not attempt to wash and fit birds for exhibition except 

 under instructions from an experienced person. 



