20O TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



fast within the skeleton, and attaching them firmly along each 

 bone by winding small pieces of copper or other soft wire 

 around. The wiring of the head is done as directed in the 

 preceding lesson. The skeleton with skin is then fixed upon 

 the stand or perch in the position it is intended to assume, and 

 filled in with wadding and tow as a soft body, which, with a 

 little judgment, will nevertheless give the natural shape of the 

 bird, whilst by this system its length, etc., must be positively 

 exact. 



The leg-wires, if not properly attached to the pelvis, and so 

 supporting the body as they should do, may be assisted in 

 this by a pointed wire penetrating the breast and abutting on 

 the sternum, and fixed at its other end to the stand or perch 

 on which the bird rests. The ligaments, in drying, stiffen the 

 skeleton, when this wire may be withdrawn. Many specimens 

 have been set up by this method, which is so easy of accomplish- 

 ment, and gives such fine results, that in the Leicester Museum, 

 in future, all mammals and birds, when not modelled, will be 

 executed by this process. 



Several birds were set up in this manner before it was 

 discovered, as usual, that there is nothing new under the sun, 

 " Bowdich " ^ {i.e. Dufresne) recounting that " Becoeur of Metz " 

 was the first one to mount both mammals and birds by 

 practically the same method. 



Special difficulties arise now and then in skinning certain 

 subjects, such as ducks, woodpeckers, flamingoes, and other 

 birds whose heads are larger than their necks, and so will not 

 come through to the inside as in the generality of instances. 

 There are three ways of getting over such a difficulty : one is 

 to cut the neck off close to the head, and with strong scissors 

 or shears (No. 8) cut out a triangular piece from the base of the 

 skull, and, after extracting the brain and eyes with the scoop 

 ^ Footnote, pp. li, 12. 



