Guide to Taxidermy 



89 



extending from the base of the skull to the root of 

 the tail. Cut a splinter of wood or the twig of a 

 tree (a quarter of an inch or less in diameter) of a 

 suitable length to reach from the skull to the base yfA 



of the tail when your specimen is laid in a normal >Nt*^A^v,^^''"^^ 



position. Commencing at the head end of your 

 stick, wind it with cotton, thinly on the neck (which 

 must be no larger than the original) and more heav- 

 ily on the rear end, always keeping tlie cotton fluffy 

 and springy. The body must not be larger than the 

 one you removed from the specimen. 



This cotton-wound splinter is now inserted into 

 the neck and body of your bird and the edges of the 

 skin drawn together over the breast and fastened 

 together with a single stitch, for birds no larger 

 than a Blue Jay. Larger birds may require more 

 stitches. Lay the bird in the hollow of jouv left 

 hand, belly down, and with your right raise the two 

 wings, pressing them together over the back so as 

 to be sure no cotton is between the shoulders or el- 

 bows. Now pass your specimen from hand to hand, 

 keeping the wings well on the back and grad- 

 ually caressing the feathers into position. Your ob- 

 ject is to make your skin look like a dead bird with 



SAYi\«\(^ u^ (K &km 



