OF MOUNTING BIRDS, FEATHER BY FEATHER. 47 



above each, to restore them to their natural shape. The leg- 

 wires are then passed through the legs, commencing at the 

 top, and bringing them out at the soles of the feet, and left with 

 a piece extending beyond the claws. 



The tail is now; fixed on, by first attaching to it a quantity of 

 cotton with the cement, and, when dry, it is fixed to the part 

 intended as the rump. 



The feet of the bird must be fixed into a piece of wood, as a 

 perch, the ends of which must be left some inches beyond the 

 body. The end next the tail is fixed into a table-vice, with the 

 belly upwards, and the head pointing towards the operator. 

 The feathers are now put on, commencing, under the tail, or 

 crissum, with what are termed the under-tail coverts : a coating 

 of cement must be previously laid on, to attach the feathers 

 with. It is proceeded with upwards to the breast, and finally 

 the length of the neck, taking care to put the proper feathers 

 on their respective sides, as the side-feathers have all an in- 

 clination to one side. The bird is now turned with the back 

 up, still keeping the head towards the stuifer; and the wings 

 are fixed on with cement, and pins forced through the beards 

 of the feathers to conceal the heads. When this is done, put 

 on the feathers of the rump, and proceed upwards, as has been 

 done with the belly. After reaching the top of the neck, the 

 head is then fixed on with some cotton immersed in the cement, 

 and allowed to dry before attempting to put on the feathers. 



In this mode of mounting a bird there are several things 

 which must be attentively adhered to ; these are first, not to 

 put the feathers too thick, for there is a danger of running 

 short ; secondly, all the shafts of the feathers must have a small 

 bit cut off the tip, so as to admit the cement and to give them a 

 firmer hold ; and thirdly, that the feathers should all occupy 

 their respective parts ; and fourthly, that they should be ar- 

 ranged as they are in nature on these parts, as the disposition of 

 every part of the body is peculiar to itself. 



At first, this mode of setting up birds will be found a difficult 

 task, but, by a little practice and experience, it will become 

 familiar and comparatively easy, although it will always be 

 found a tedious process. We have seen some specimens set up 

 in this way, which we could hardly detect from those mounted 

 in the ordinary manner. 



