CHAPTER VI 



THE SKINNING AND SETTING-UP, OF BIRDS BY VARIOUS 



METHODS 



DIVISION I 



THE CLEANING OF FEATHERS, THE SKINNING OF BIRDS, 

 AND THE MAKING OF A " SKIN " 



Undeniably the most popular section of taxidermy is that 

 vulgarly known as " bird-stuffing," and, like some other vulgar 

 terms, it is literally true in the sense that the origin of the art 

 was founded upon the actual stuffing-out of the creature's skin, 

 performed by what is called the loose method, and by means of 

 wool, wadding, moss, tow, shavings, straw, hay, and so on. 

 Although, as just stated, of great popularity and of respect- 

 able antiquity, the methods have not altered very much since 

 Captain Brown — whom the Americans and others take as a 

 guide — wrote his treatise more than sixty years ago, and 

 the " stuffers " of the present day deviate as little as possible 

 from the ancient and incorrect systems, and almost unani- 

 mously agree to do their worst in a manner as devoid of 

 artistic feeling, and as unlike nature, as may be compassed 

 by clumsy fingers guided by an unlearned or a clouded brain. 

 Further, there are some amongst them who never improve ; to 

 them a bird is a " skin," and they invest it with their own 

 sombre personality instead of with the bird's own riante elegance 

 and perfection of form. 



