60 D.J. Macgowan on Chinese and Aztec Plumagery. 
the manufacture of garlands, chaplets, frontals, tiaras and crowns 
of very thin copper, on which purple, dark and light blue feath- 
ers of gorgeous brilliancy are laid with exquisite taste and skill. 
From the size of these ornaments great scope is afforded for the 
display of various figures. Sometimes two dragons extend from 
below the lobes of the ears, meeting above the forehead, the va- 
riegated scales of which are represented by minute portions of 
feathers of various hues; at others, beautiful flowers are inter- 
spersed with elegant mosaic, and then again the head attire ap- 
pears animated, as with every turn of the fair one, tiny geuil, 
birds, and insects are set in motion from springs and wires which 
retain them in the midst of the fairy-like garland. A more taste- 
ful, elegant, or gorgeous blending of art and nature than is exhib-- 
ited in one of these head dresses, perhaps no ingenuity has hith- 
erto devised. To increase the effect, these ornaments are studded _ 
with pearls, produced cheaply and in great abundance by artificial 
means in a fresh water muscle. Commoner articles, such as ear 
rings, and brooches for caps, are generally made of a small wreath 
of the forget-me-not, encircling one of these pearls. Half a 
dollar will purchase one of these when of silver, and a few cents 
the copper ones. The most expensive head dresses cost less than. 
five dollars, unless of silver. 
As this elegant art has not hitherto attracted the attention of — 
foreigners, the mode of procedure should be described; this may 
e done in few words. 
On the table at which the workman sits, he has a fasciculus of 
feathers, a small furnace with a few embers for keeping warm a 
cup of glue, a small cutting instrument like a serew-driver, a pen- 
cil or brush, and the articles, either silver, gilt, copper tinsel, of 
pastebdard which are to be feathered. ‘Ihe thumb and index 
the pieces being very small, in the form of petals, scales, dia-— 
monds, squares, and the like, and requiring to be of the same size 
as the particular spot on which they are to be Jaid. Besides. 
fingering this tool in the manner described, he holds the pencil — 
nearly as we do a pen, dips it into the glue, brnshes the spot to be 
coated, then expertly reversing it, touches with its opposite point 
a tiny bit of feather, which is thus lifted up and laid on the part — 
or which it was fitted. Care is requisite also in giving a propel — 
direction to this twilled work, for such of course is the appeal 
ance presented b barbs. | : nae. 
