THE SETTING-UP OF BIRDS WITH HARD BODIES 187 



within it if necessary, and in any event the straining across 

 the breast, which is so unnatural, is avoided. Figure 5, Plate 

 IX., shows the artificial body rather larger than the natural one 

 (Fig. 6), which was that of a small pigeon (Fig. 3). 



With these exceptions the making of the body is prac- 

 tically the same as for a " skin," but before the artificial body 

 is coaxed into the skin the wings must be wired, and this is 

 done by pointing the piece, gauge No. 1 8, at both ends, bend- 

 ing it into the shape shown on p. 1 84, and pushing the ends 

 into the hollow bones of the humeri, which should be left, or, if 

 removed, into the hollows of the ulnae, in which latter case the 

 bent ends of the wire must, of course, be longer, and in either 

 case the points must bite, or must come through the bones and 

 be turned. Fill up, as before described, any spaces whence 

 flesh has been removed, and place the bones, now held by a 

 cross-bar of wire, in their natural positions ; a very little tow 

 or thin paper should underlie the wire bar, and upon this the 

 body, shortly to be inserted, should rest. It is as well to con- 

 sider that the wings, though springing from very near the top 

 of the back, are not quite so high as the artificial body, placed 

 upon the top of the wire, makes it appear ; the bar, therefore, 

 must be a trifle longer than the width in nature, so that, when 

 the body comes upon it, it can be arched a little, and so cause 

 the wing-bones to fall into their correct position in relation to 

 the back. 



After the wings are placed in position {and note beforehand 

 their distances, when closed, from the end of the tail), the body 

 must be carefully coaxed into the skin, and in this instance the 

 neck-wire, being pointed, with a much longer end free than for 

 the " skin," is to be thrust into the skull and through to the out- 

 side of the head. Next take one of the leg-wires, and, the tibio- 

 tarsus having been bound as it was for the " skin," hold the leg 

 of the unopened side in the left hand, and, with the right, insert 



