properly and you will regret it as you proceed. 
The body now lies on its back, the wings under, 
and appears like Fig. 6. Cut the wire off from 
the body at the tail end, leaving just enough to 
vatch the skin on at A. Now with the cut tow 
fill in carefully all about the body, base of neck, 
breast, upon the shoulders, back of the legs, not 
too much, but enough to make the form of the 
bird good. When done, the winding will reduce 
the size somewhat. Special features that are to 
be brought out can be seen to at this time. The 
next step is to draw the skin carefully together 
over the stomach and to sew it up. Then bend 
the legs back together towards the tail. If too 
Jong, push them on the wire towards the head. 
Next make a sharp bend at the joints B, B, for- 
ward, and the wire at the sole of the foot, back- 
wards. Next, taking the perch, drill two holes 
in the cross piece, the same distance apart that 
the bird is at the hips; pass the leg wires through 
them and fasten. (See Fig. 7, C.) Stick the 
perch in the hole in your work table. At this 
stage do not be discouraged if your bird looks like 
a cornfield in a September gale. Bend the body 
in shape, being careful that the legs are right, 
giving it the position you wish by pressing under 
the wings, arrange the wing bones in their place 
and with wire pin at D, and put another under 
the quills at E, on both sides. Next pass a wire 
through the tail knob F, (under tail feathers) and 
pin the tail to the body, Bend the head up, draw 
it a little on the wire. Arrange the feathers on 
the shoulders carefully, then push the head down 
into its place and by taking hold of the bill bend 
it into shape to please your fancy. If the skin is 
in proper place the feathers will now lie quite 
smooth; if not, there is some cause for it. Ifa 
place buuches up, say on the shoulder, with 
your long needle lift the skin up a little, get all 
the feathers, so far as possible by means of your 
fine forceps, smooth and in place. With your 
cop now wind the bird. (See fig. 8.) Sometimes 
if there is a place that I wish to wind down 
especially, I put in extra wire. (G. Fig. 8.) If 
EXPLANATION 
1—T perch. 
Fig. 2.—Body wire, showing loops. 
Fig. 3.—Made body. 
Fig. 4.—Tail spread by wing quills. 
Fig. 5.—Tail spread by clamping. 
. 6.—Skin with artificial body in ready to 
sew up. 
Fig. 7.—Bird placed on perch, 
Fig. 8.—Bird wound. . 
Fig. 9.—Wire clamp. 
[Vol. 11-No. 1 

4 ORNITHOLOGIST 

there is any trouble with the wings, or you wish 
to spread them a little, use a wire bent like Fig. 9 
as a clamp. (See H, fig. 8.) Sometimes when a 
bird is large and the wings badly broken, I make 
a saddle cover, passing it through the two outer 
quills and under. This lies across the back. 
(See fig. 10, I.) After the bird is well wound you 
can then give it a finishing shaping if needed. 
This will be your last chance, so do not slight it. 
If there is any one present have him suggest any 
improvement. By this, faults to which we are 
blind may be rectified. Carefully round out the 
eye-holes, making the lids in good shape. Sit the 
bird away, not near a stove, but where it will dry 
evenly. It isa good plan in about ten days to 
cut off the windings and adjust any feathers that 
have been overlooked, and then re-wind. 
SPREADING WINGS. 
This may be done in two ways. First, if a 
small bird, pass the pinning wire in at the joints, 
(J, fig. 6,) on the under side into the body (See K, 
fig. 11), and another wire (L, fig. 11). Then 
clamp it as shown in the same figure. If the 
feathers do not lie smoothly, cut a piece of paper 
and place it like M, (Fig. 11). When dry the 
wires may be cut off and the wing will be found 
dry in place. For larger birds, pass a wire 
through the wings in the same manner that you 
do the legs; fasten into the body at N, N, (Fig. 6,) 
and clamp in the manner shown in figure 11. 
Figures 12, 13 and 14, will give a general idea of 
the position of the wires. 
TO RAISE CRESTS, EARS, ETC. 
Pin a wire in back of the place desired to raise; 
bend it as shown in figure 15, and place cotton 
between the wire and feathers. 
TO SUPPORT BIRDS FLYING. 
Pass wire through the body frony back between 
the wings, down out through the breast, bend in 
form of U and draw back; cut wire off, leaving 
just enough to bend in form of loop on top. To 
this fasten very fine wire by which to suspend. 
(See fig. 16). 
OF PEN SKETCH. 
Fig. 10.—Wings held in position by saddle 
wire. 
Fig. 11.—Manner of wiring wings spread. 
. 12.—Pigeon suspended flying. 
Fig. 13.—Eagle, showing method of wiring. 
. 14.—Heron, showing method of wiring. 
Fig. 15.—Wire to hold up crest. 
16.—Wire passing through body to hold 
bird, for suspending, 
