2o6 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



upon a perch or stand ; this, it will be seen, is simply a head- 

 less artificial body supported by natural legs. Assuming that 

 the pieces of skin and feathers, whether resulting from accident 

 or extreme age, are nicely relaxed and free from grease, the 

 commencement should be made at the head, and the pieces 

 arranged on the model in proper order, and observe where the 

 model is faulty and remove or add until correct. Having fitted 

 every part in proper order and marked the places they should 

 finally assume, remove them from the model, and give the 

 latter a good coat of thick flour paste (Formula 90). Upon this 

 rearrange the feathers, or pieces of skin with feathers attached, 

 and probably it will be found more expedient to work from tail 

 to head than from head to tail, to allow for the overlap of the 

 feathers. Where any paste comes through on to the feathers, 

 sponge it off. No exact instructions can be given, but the 

 learner must be guided by circumstances as to whether the 

 breast-pieces should be fixed first, as they usually are, or not, 

 and, when it is necessary to swell out the feathers in certain 

 positions, let a piece of pasted wadding be inserted under them, 

 lifting up the surrounding feathers with some tool handy for 

 the purpose. When the wings and head are finally fixed, 

 sponge the bird down with wadding dipped in warm water if 

 any more paste has appeared, and afterwards with benzoline fol- 

 lowed by plaster, which, being dusted off subsequently, will help 

 to dry as well as to clean it. Put the specimen in a warm or airy 

 situation to dry, and, lastly, rectify any imperfections through 

 the orbits, and put in the eyes. 



The original idea in making a " skin " is that it may be 

 used as a cabinet - specimen for reference, but, as it often 

 happens that the collector makes a skin to save time and 

 space, well knowing that it must be subsequently set up and 

 mounted when more favourable conditions exist, the art of 

 what is called " relaxing " was invented many years ago, before 



