HOW TO MAKE A BISDSKIN. 43 



from the general plumage. It is a common fault of stuffing not to draw the legs olusely 

 enough to the body. Above all, look out for the centre of gravity ; though you have really 

 fastened the bird to its perch, you must not let it look as if it would fall off if the vnres slipped; 

 it must appear to rest tliere of its own accord. Next, gixo the head and neck a preliminary 

 setting, according to the attitude you have determined upou. This will bring tlie pkmuige 

 about the shoulders in proper position ibr the setting of the wings, to which you may at once 

 attend. If the body be correctly fashioned and tlie skin of the shoulders duly adjusted over it, 

 the wings will fold into place witliout the sliglitest difficulty. AU that I have said before 

 about setting the wings in a skin applies here as well ; but in this ease they will not stai/ 

 in place, since they fall by their own weight. They must be pinaed up. Holding the wing 

 in place, thrust a pin steadily througli near the wrist joint, into the tow body. .Sometimes 

 another pin is required to support the weiglit of tlic primaries ; it may be stuck into the flank 

 of the bird, the outer quill feather resting directly upon it. With large birds a .sharp pointed 

 wire must replace the pin. When properly set, the wing-tips will fall together or syinmrtii- 

 cally opposite each other, the quills and coverts wUl be smoothly imbricated, the scapular 

 series of feathers will lie close, and no bare space will show in front of the shoulder. Much 

 depends upon the final adjustment of the head. The commonest mistake is getting it to(j 

 far away from the body. In the ordinary attitudes of most birds little neck shows, the head 

 appearing nestled upon the shoulders. If tlic neck appears too long, it is not to be contracted 

 by pushing the head directly dowu upon it, but by making an S curve of the neck. No precise 

 directions can be given tor the set of the head, but you may be assured it is a delicate, difficult 

 matter ; the slightest turn of the bill one way or another may alter the whole expression of the 

 bird. You will of coarse ha^'e determined beforehand upou your attitude, upon what yon -n-ish 

 the bird to ajipear tti be doing; tlien, let your meaning be pointed by tlie bird's bill. 



On tlie general subject of striking an attitude, and giving expression to a stuffed bird, little 

 can be said to good purpose. If you are to become proficient in this art, it will come from 

 yiiur own study of birds in the field, your own good taste and appreciation of bird life. Tlie 

 manual processes are easily described and practised ; it is easy to grind paint, I supp(.ise, but 

 not So to be an artist. I shall therefore only follow the above accouut of the general processes 

 with some special practical points. After "attitudinizing" to your satisfactitm, or to the best 

 of your ability, the plumage is to be carefully " dressed." F(.'atliers awry may be set in jdace 

 witli a light spring forceps, or needles fixed in a handle, one by one if necessary. Wlien no 

 individual feather seems out of place, it often occurs that the general plumage has a loose, 

 slovenly aspect. This is readily corrected by wrapping with fine thrwid. Stick a pin into the 

 middle of the back, another into tlie breast, and perhaps others, elsewhere. Fasten the end of 

 a spool of sewing cotton to one of the pins, and carry it to another, \vinding tlie thread about 

 among the pins, till the whole surface is covered with an irregular network. Tighten to 

 reduce an undue prominence, loosen over a depression ; but let tlie wra]jping as a whole be 

 light, linn, and even. This procedure, nicely executed, will give a smoothness to the plumage 

 not otherwise attainable, and may be made to produce the most exquisite curves, particularly 

 about the head, neck, and breast. The thread should be left on till the bird is perfectly dry ; 

 it may then be unwound or cut ofi', and the pins withdrawn. When a particular patch of skin 

 is out of place, it may often be pulled into position and pinned there. You need not be afraid 

 of sticking pins in anywhere : they may be buried in the plumage and left there, or withdrawn 

 when the skin is dry. In addition to the main stuffing, a little is often required in particular 

 places. As for the legs, they should be filled out in all such cases as I indicated eailier in this 

 section ; small birds require no such stuffing. It is necessary to fill out the eyes so that the 

 lids rest naturally ; it may be done as heretofore directed, or by putting in pledgets of cotton 

 from the outside. A little nice stuffing is generally required about the upper throat. To stufl^ 

 a bird with spread wings requires a special process, in most cases. The wings are to be wired, 



