106 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



CHAPTER XV. 



MOUNTING BIRDS WITH SPREAD WINGS. 



When a bird is to be stuffed with spread wings, it 

 should be skinned in the usual manner, as heretofore des- 

 cribed, but the main bones of the wings should be left 

 attached to the double ones and not broken. To do this 

 it is necessary to cut into the breast of the bird when 

 skinning it, and unjoint the wings from the body. The 

 flesh is removed from the wing-bones to the second joints 

 from the inside of the skin. The flesh about the double 

 bones should be removed from the outside, by making a 

 cut over them lengthwise and on the under side of the 

 wing. By pushing back the feathers, a large bare place 

 will be found on most birds, where the incision can be 

 made. When cleaning the wing, skin back carefully 

 from both sides of the incision, and remove the flesh by 

 pulling and cutting it out in pieces. The end of the 

 fleshy part of the wing should be primed with corrosive 

 sublimate, dissolved in alcohol and water. These parts 

 are the first attacked by dermestes. Dust the wings well 

 with dry arsenic, substitute potter's clay, firmly packed, 

 for the removed flesh, sew up the skin by cross-stitch- 

 *ng from the under sides, and the feathers will fall 

 smoothly and cover the seam. 



The wing- wires should be sharpened at both ends, and 

 must be of sufficient length to clinch through the body. 

 Run the end of the wire from the inside up the wing, 

 between the skin and bones, and twist firmly into the 

 fleshy tip where the primaries or first long feathers grow 

 out. Lash the wing-bone tightly to the wire, and wind 

 firmly with tow, then wrap securely with twine into natu- 



