68 IMPING. 
the feathers separated from the pinion carefully preserved 
and numbered, so as to prevent mistake in taking a true 
match for the injured feather. He then with a sharp 
knife gently parts the web of the feather to be repaired at 
its thickest part, and cuts the shaft obliquely forward, so 
as not to damage the web on the opposite edge. He 
next cuts the substitute feather as exactly as possible at 
the corresponding point and with the same degree of 
slope. 
“For the purpose of uniting them, he is provided with 
an iron needle with broad angular points at both ends, 
and after wetting the needle with salt-and-water, he 
thrusts it into the centre of the pith of each part, as 
truly straight and as nearly to the same length in each 
as may be. 
“When this operation has been skilfully performed, 
the junction is so neat, that an inexperienced eye would 
hardly discern the point of union, and as the iron rusts 
from having been wetted with brine, there is little or no 
danger of separation.” 
After this explanation, the meaning of the following 
lines is clear :— 
