i86 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



the back as are the wings, viz. two and a half inches, and it must 

 be settled now whether the artificial body is to taper regularly, 

 or to be swelled out there to allow for the thighs (femora), or 

 whether these shall be made up independently of the body 

 upon the leg-wires. 



Take the body-wire, and make an artificial body of tow 

 upon it in the same manner as directed for the making of the 

 "skin," but with these diiiferences : — i. The neck must be longer, 

 that is to say of the exact length of nature. 2. The body 

 must not be quite so flat upon the breast. 3. It should be 

 well wrapped with thread or cotton, and made firmer than for 

 the skin. 4. As a further advantage, greatly assisting the 

 natural shape of the bird when set up, false thighs, i.e. femora, 

 should be added. 



These are made, each one separately, by winding tow 

 around a piece of thin wire to the shape and length of those 

 left on the natural body, the free ends of the wires being 

 pushed into the artificial body, and arranged to be brought 

 forward or straight according as the bird is intended to stand, 

 and bound upon the body with thread ; or they may be left 

 free, providing the other ends of the wires are made fast by 

 turning in, and this is an advantage when the exact position of 

 the bird is not quite determined upon, as the thighs can then 

 be moved forward or backward at will. 



I Another matter constantly lost sight of is, that in nature 

 there is a distinct hollow between the clavicles, in which the 

 neck fits when the bird is at rest, and the excessive filling-up 

 of this always results in an unnatural or strained appearance at 

 that part, caused by the fact that, although the bird's artificial 

 neck is of the natural length, yet there is no hollow arranged 

 for, wherein to fit it, to shorten it for certain attitudes. This 

 trouble may be easily obviated by beating, and pressing, and 

 binding the tow in at that place so that the neck may rest 



