TAXIDERMY. 59 



repassing into the neck with the forefinger of the 

 right hand ; at the same time we are pulling the 

 thread on the opposite side, taking care that the 

 feathers at the edge of the opening do not enter 

 with the edges of the skin. We lay the bird on 

 the table, the head to the left, place the wings and 

 claws properly ; we put a plate of lead of about a 

 pound weight on the tail ; we raise the feathers of 

 die edges of the opening with the thumb and fore- 

 finger of the left hand to prevent their being soiled, 

 and anoint the inside of the neck, introducing the 

 preservative alternately with the flax without stuff- 

 ing it too thickly, which is a fault in the greater 

 part of mounted birds. We continue to anoint 

 the back as far as the rump, and stuff it nearly one- 

 third of its thickness, that the iron work may be 

 placed on a thick layer of flax. We then prepare 

 four irons, the proportions of which are equal to 

 the size of the bird. The first, which is that of the 

 centre, ought to be longer than the body of the 

 bird ; we form a little ring with the pincers at about 

 it quarter of its length, and point the opposite end. 

 This wire being oikd we introduce it across the 

 skull, passing it into the neck in the middle of the 

 flax, with which it is stuffed ; so that having crossed 

 the skull, the ring of the wire is placed a little to- 

 wards the anterior part, and can receive the extre- 

 mities of each of the wires which have passed 

 through the thighs and claws, after having been 

 D 6 



