192 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



using pointed wires instead of pins, and crooking them at one 

 end, the binding -cotton resting, within the crooks, instead of 

 upon the feathers. , By this it is claimed that the feathers of the 

 breast and back are not unduly pressed. out of shape, but it. is 

 hard to see what end this serves, inasmuch as- the binding- 

 cotton is prevented- from resting upon the' very parts where.it 

 should take effect, and moreover, as already stated, it is only a 

 very clumsy, or untechnical taxidermist who gets, his bird, out 

 of shape by binding ; irideed, the reverse should be the case, as 

 often parts. not quite satisfactory, may be corrected by close 

 binding. 



To represent a bird upon the wing, the inside wiring is the 

 same with these differences :^(i). The. wires for. the legs, may 

 be very much thinner, as they have no weight to support; (2) 

 the addition of a strong wire, pointed and passed into the body 

 through the incision, bolted securely by turning in the end, and 

 of length sufficient to pass beyond, the extent of the. spread 

 wing on that side, and to leave enough to be bolted into an 

 upright stand whilst . being set up, and into any background 

 when finished ; (3) the outside wires are supplemented in some 

 instances by two others which, inserted from the outside, pass 

 along the flexures of the wings between the skin, and are hidden 

 by the feathers ; (4) the binding is supplemented . by many 

 pieces of thin cardboard, which are pinned across, and under, 

 and over the wings, and these, with more pins stuck into the 

 body at the flanks, and more cross threading, serve to keep 

 the feathers in position. 



The appearance of a " bound " bird is shown on. Plate X. 



Artificial Eyes 



The glaiss artificial eyes for some mammals and most birds 

 are of two classes — black, without iris or pupil, and coloured, 

 with a black pupil and a variously-coloured iris. French and 



