OF MOUNTING BIRDS, FEATHER BY FEATHER, 47 
above each, to restore them to their natural shape. The leg- 
wires are then passed through the legs, commencing at the 
top, and bringing them out at the soles of the feet, and left with 
a piece extending beyond the claws. 
The tail is now fixed on, by first attaching to it a quantity of 
cotton with the cement, and, when dry, it is fixed to the part 
intended as the rump. 
perch, the ends of which must be left some inches beyond the 
body. ‘The end next the tail is fixed into a table-vice, with the 
belly upwards, and the head pointing towards the operator. 
The feathers are now put on, commencing, under the tail, or 
of cement must be previously laid on, to attach the feathers 
on their respective sides, as the side-feathers have all an in- 
The feet of the bird must be fixed into a piece of wood, as a | 
crissum, with what are termed the under-tail coverts : a coating | 
with. It is proceeded with upwards to the breast, and finally | 
the length of the neck, taking care to put the proper feathers | 
clination to one side. The bird is now turned with the back — 
up, still keeping the head towards the stuffer; and the wings © 
are fixed on with cement, and pins forced through the beards | 
| of the feathers to conceal the heads. When this is done, put 
head is then fixed on with some cotton immersed in the cement, 
_ and allowed to dry before attempting to put on the feathers. 
short ; secondly, all the shafts of the feathers must have a small 
bit cut off the tip, so as to admit the cement and to give them a 
firmer hold; and thirdly, that the feathers should all occupy 
their respective parts; and fourthly, that they should be ar- 
_ on the feathers of the rump, and proceed upwards, as has been — 
done with the belly. After reaching the top of the neck, the © 
In this mode of mounting a bird there are several things | 
which must be attentively adhered to; these are—first, not to | 
put the feathers too thick, for there is a danger of running | 
ranged as they are in nature on these parts, as the disposition of — 
every part of the body is peculiar to itself. 
At first, this mode of setting up birds will be found a difficult 
task, but, by a little practice and experience, it will become 
familiar and comparatively easy, although it will always be 
found a tedious process. We have seen some specimens set up 
in this way, which we could hardly detect from those mounted 
’ 
| in the ordinary manner. 
