SETTING UP BIRDS ON IMPROVED PRINCIPLES 195 



taxidermy might be assisted, in form at least, if scientific 

 principles were given for the making of a properly-shaped 

 body, which should denote the exact positions of neck, wings, 

 legs, and tail, all of which had hitherto been matters of chance 

 and left to the discretion, or otherwise, of the operator. 

 Accordingly, one of the first of the improved processes adopted 

 in the Leicester Museum is now given. 



Take a bird — say a pigeon, as before — and, having skinned 

 it, lay the skinned carcase, divested of its neck, upon its side, 

 embed one half in modelling-sand surrounded by a zinc strip, 

 and proceed to take a cast as detailed in subsequent pages. 



Turn it over, leaving the body still in the half mould ; cut 

 keys, oil the edges, repeat the casting process, and, when the 

 mould is sufficiently dry, remove the body, and there will 

 result two halves accurately giving the intaglio or impres- 

 sion of the bird's body. Dry these moulds, and either boil 

 or oil them as detailed hereafter, then press into each half 

 mould a layer of pasted tissue-paper followed by one of cap- 

 paper, then one of pasted brown paper — three in all. Fill 

 each half mould with tow well packed to tighten and solidify 

 it. In one of these halves fix a pointed wire for the reception 

 of the head ; fix it by pasting brown paper over it, and paste 

 brown paper over all, letting it come over the edges of each 

 half mould. Dry in the oven as rapidly as possible, remove 

 from the moulds, trim each half at the edges, join the two 

 together, and the result will be a perfect copy in paper of the 

 bird's body, showing the exact position of the neck springing 

 from the hollow formed by the junction of the clavicles, the 

 positions whence spring the humeri of the wings and the 

 femora of the legs, as also the position of the tail. 



The wiring, etc., is precisely the same as detailed at pp. 

 185-192 for the hard-body method, and gives, of course, better 

 results, although the body is a little heavier. 



