46 OF MOUNTING BIRDS, FEATHER BY FEATHER. 



hangers ; or take some of the ordinary wire used, and make it 

 red-hot in the fire, and allow it to cool gradually, when it will 

 become quite pliable. Take five pieces of this, of different 

 lengths, and form them into the skeleton of a body ; namely, 

 two for the back, one on each side, and one to represent the 

 breast-bone. Imitate the shape of the bird's body, as nearly as 

 possible. The wires must be roughened with a file, at the place 

 where all the wires meet, at the neck and rump ; and first wrap 

 the place next the neck round with strong thread or fine brass 

 wire. The two pieces intended for the back must bend gently 

 downwards, and be gradually separated from each other to- 

 wards the centre, and brought together again at the place in- 

 tended for the rump, whither they must intersect each other, 

 and be twisted two or three times, to keep them in their place ; 

 they are then spread out as supports for the tail; the side 

 pieces are next formed, so as to represent the natural bulge of 

 a bird's body, and attached to the rump ; the piece representing 

 the breast is then formed, joined at the rump, and afterwards 

 continued as long as the other tail-pieces, to support the centre 

 of the tail ; while at the front extremity a piece is left, for the 

 purpose of forming a neck to which to attach the head. Two 

 leg-wires are attached to the side-wires, by being rolled 

 round them for several turns. These will be better understood 

 from the following figures. No. 1. is a profile of the skeleton 

 wire body, and No. 2. a section of it viewed from above. 



After this body has been properly formed, it must be wrapped 

 round with tow-sliver (see Articles used in Stuffing), and the 

 neck thickened to its required dimensions. When this is ac- 

 complished, the head, legs, wings, and tail are softened in the 

 usual manner ; the eyes are then fixed in with some cotton 

 introduced into the orbits, with a little of the cement. The wings 

 and tail are now placed on a table, with a flat leaden weight 



