TAXIDERMY. 68 



second time, uniting it strongly to the long end, 

 which is straight and pointed, then rubbing it with 

 oil we enter it into the neck, already stuffed with 

 chopped flax ; the oval of the iron ought to be in 

 the middle of the body. The wires of the claws 

 must, like the others, be straight and pointed ; we 

 also enter them through the soles of the feet ; when 

 the point is in, we curve it at the other end, to be 

 the better able to work it up with the hand ; and 

 when the point appears within, we draw it up with 

 the flat pincers after straightening the other end. 

 To fix the irons of the claws to the middle branch, 

 we pass the two inner ends into the little ring above 

 the oval ; we twist them together, and curve them 

 within ; we then fasten them with a thread or pack- 

 thread to each side of the oval. 



The tail-bearer is entirely similar to that of which 

 we have before spoken, and we fix it in the same 

 manner, thrusting the fork into the rump, and 

 either leaving the oval free, or tied under that of 

 the middle wire. This machinery, although differ- 

 ent to the other, is always introduced after the neck 

 and back are stuffed. 



This method of passing the central wire through 

 the neck after it is stuffed, is preferable to all others, 

 not only because it is easier, but because it pre- 

 serves the neck in its cylindrical form : we even 

 stuff the neck of a swan before we introduce the 

 wire. 



