ON PRESERVING BIRDS. 325 



a moment on the nature of the fleshy parts and 

 tendons, which are often left in : 1st, they require 

 to be well seasoned with aromatic spices ; 2dly, 

 they must be put into the oven to* dry; 3dly, 

 the heat of the fire and the natural tendency 

 all cured flesh has to shrink, and become hard, 

 render the specimen withered, distorted, and too 

 small ; 4thly, the inside then becomes like a ham, 

 or any other dried meat. Ere long the insects 

 claim it as their own ; the feathers begin to drop 

 off, and you have the hideous spectacle of death 

 in ragged plumage. 



Wire is of no manner of use, but, .on the 

 contrary, a great nuisance ; for where it is intro- 

 duced, a disagreeable stiffness and derangement 

 of symmetry follow. 



The head arid neck can be placed in any atti- 

 tude, the body supported, the wings closed, 

 extended or elevated, the tail depressed, raised 

 or expanded, the thighs set horizontal or oblique, 

 without any aid from wire. Cotton will effect 

 all this. 



A very small proportion of the skull bone, say, 

 from the forepart of the eyes to the bill, is to be 

 left in ; though even this is not absolutely ne- 

 cessary. Part of the wing-bones, the jaw-bones, 

 and half of the thigh-bones, remain. Every thing 

 else, flesh, fat, eyes, bones, brains, and tendons, 

 are all to be taken away. 



While dissecting, it will be of use to keep in J 



PRESERVING 



nir.ns. 



