PREPARINa BIRDS FOR EXHIBITION 



269 



Before washing the plumage, clean the face, comb, wat- 

 tles, legs, and feet by scrubbing these parts with a small 

 nail brush and plenty of lather. With the left hand grasp 

 the fowl by the legs, holding the right hand over the back 

 to prevent the wings from flapping, and immerse the bird 

 in the first tub. In doing so be sure to see that the water has 

 penetrated all sections of the plumage until thoroughly soaked 

 to the skin. This is most important. Apply the soap by work- 



Figure 266. — Rinsing the soap from the feathers. 



ing a good lather through all portions of the feathers with the 

 fingers, rubbing the lather with the feathers instead of against 

 them until the bird is clean. A small sponge will help consid- 

 erably in applying the lather and in cleaning the main tail 

 and wing feathers. If these feathers are very dirty, a small 

 nail brush may be used for this purpose. Remove as much 

 of the soap as possible from the bird in the first tub and 

 the rest in the second and third tubs. It is very important 

 that all the soap be removed completely, as any trace of it 

 will cause the feathers to appear streaked and matted to- 

 gether when dry. When rinsing the feathers in the second 



