THE MAKING OF A BIRD'S "SKIN" 179 



around them to the shape of the flesh removed, and, if this be 

 done well and tightly, there will be no need to wrap it over 

 with binding cotton. Having done this, pull the legs back to 

 their proper positions. 



Nothing now remains but to make a false body and insert 

 it, for although the body for a skin is not made so tightly as 

 for a bird about to be set up, yet the advantages of a made 

 body over a loose one are manifold. First place the bird upon 

 its back, and, bringing the whole of the skin — especially that of 

 the neck — to a little less than the length of the bird in life, 

 take a piece of fairly stout wire (No. 1 7 will do nicely), of such 

 a length that, one end coming up into the skull (not through 

 it) when the neck is properly shortened, the other shall fall just 

 within the tail, the measurement of such wire being determined 

 by the notes previously taken (see p. 171) and by the natural 

 body (see Fig. 6, Plate IX.), which should be kept in front of 

 the pupil as a guide. 



Now, calculating the depth of the skull inside to where the 

 neck joins, leave a corresponding length of the wire uncovered 

 — probably about half an inch — and, taking some tow or very 

 fine " packing," wind it upon the wire below until it assumes 

 the length and shape of the natural neck. From this point, 

 guided by the natural body, proceed to swell the tow, winding 

 it firmly, but not too tight and hard, until it assumes the shape 

 required ; at the same time, do not make it of quite the height 

 of the body from back to breast, as a " skin " should be much 

 flatter upon the breast than is quite natural, for convenience in 

 packing it away in cabinets, etc. Note that the body rapidly 

 narrows toward the tail ; at that end of the wire, therefore, the 

 tow must be wrapped around thinly and come to an apex, and, 

 to prevent slipping, the wire may be just turned up upon the 

 body. 



From time to time, flatten the artificial body, and where 



