Guide to Taxidermy 



77 



Mounting Collossal Birds 



Birds of the size and character of the Ostrich re- 

 quire special methods both of skinning and mount- 

 ing. In skinning the cut is made from the breast 

 bone to the vent, and then another one is made 

 across the abdomen and extending down the inside 

 of each leg to the sole of the foot. The skinning of 

 the body and neck is identical with that of a small 

 bird except tkat it is almost necessary to suspend 

 tlie body from strong hooks as soon as the legs are 

 disjointed, allowing the skin to hang down, and 

 greath^ facilitating its removal. All the tendons 

 and muscles are taken out from the back of the legs 

 through the cut you have made. It would be almost 

 ]ihysically impossible to run a rod through the leg 

 of an ortrich as we do in other birds ; then again we 

 could not anchor it to the body rigid enough to hold 

 his weight. 



We have to build what is termed a "manikin" for 

 such large birds. This is a completed form with 

 leg rods all in and bolted to the base, ready to 

 throw the skin over. 



We first get out a center board about the size and 



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