80 TAXIDERMY. 



describe, otherwise than by comparing it, when it 

 is least complicated, to a wooden candlestick, the 

 foot of which is very heavy, and the stem very 

 strong. Several holes should be bored in this stem, 

 one of which, five or six inches from the base, ought 

 to have a third of an inch in diameter, and be en- 

 tirely and horizontally across the stem ; the others, 

 of the same size, should be placed obliquely all 

 jround the stem, either above or below the first. 

 The ends of the cross-bar on which the bird is fixed 

 should be five inches longer than the bird on each 

 side, and smaller than in the centre, to be able to 

 thrust them firmly into the holes of this candlestick, 

 that the bird may not shake whilst we place the 

 feathers upon it. Being fixed to the new foot, the 

 belly of the bird must be upwards ; we then take a 

 little melted gum arabic, an equal quantity of the 

 preservative, and a little hair-powder, with which 

 we make an amalgam for pasting the feathers ; we 

 put this paste on the belly, and begin by fixing the 

 feathers which cover the tail underneath, then the 

 feathers on the belly, always advancing towards the 

 breast, observing not to lay them too thick, lest 

 there might not be enough to finish it. We must 

 especially, take the precaution of putting the fea- 

 thers on the places they ought to occupy on the 

 living bird, each on its proper side, because the 

 beards of the left feathers are directed in a contrary 

 sense to those of the right, also to observe the 



