SPREADING TAILS, ETC. 89 



curves particularly about the head, neck and breast. The 

 thread should be left on till the bird is perfectly dry ; it 

 may then be unwound or cut off, and the pins withdrawn. 

 When a particular patch of skin is out of place, it may often 

 be pulled into position and pinned there. You need not be 

 afraid of sticking pins in anywhere ; they may be buried in the 

 plumage and left there, or withdrawn when the skin is dry. 

 In addition to the main stuffing, a little is often required in 

 particular places. As for the legs, they should be filled out 

 in all such' cases as I indicated earlier in this chapter; small 

 birds require no such stuflSng. It is necessary to fill out the 

 eyes so that the lids rest naturally ; it may be done as hereto- 

 fore directed, or bj' putting in pledgets of cotton from the out- 

 side. A little nice stuffing is generally required about the 

 upper throat. To stuff a bird with spread wings requires a 

 special process, in most cases. The wings are to be wired, 

 exactly as directed for the legs ; they may then be placed in 

 any shape. But with most small birds, and those with short 

 wings, simple pinning in the half spread position indicating 

 fluttering will suffice ; it is readily accomplished with a long, 

 slender insect pin. I have already spoken of fixing the tail by 

 pinning or wiring the pope's nose to the tow body ; it may be 

 thus fixed at any desired elevation or depression. There are 

 two ways of spreading the tail. One is to run a pointed wire 

 through the quills, near their base, where the wire will be 

 hidden by the coverts ; each feather may be set at any required 

 distance from the next by sliding it along this wire. This 

 method is applicable to large birds ; for small ones the tail 

 may be fixed with the desired spread by enclosing it near its 

 base, in a split match, or two slips, of card-board, with the ends 

 tied together. This holds the feathers until they dry in posi- 

 tion, when it is to be taken off. Crests may be raised, spread 

 and displayed on similar principles. A small crest, like that 

 of a cardinal or cherry bird, for instance, may be held up till it 

 dries in position by sticking in behind it a pin with a little ball 

 . of cotton on its head. It is sometimes necessary to make a 

 bird's toes grasp a support by tying them down to it till they 



