74 MANUAL OF TAXIDERMY. 



proper places, the first highest and the others 

 under them, which will give the bird a good 

 rounded back. Now place the bird in the proper 

 attitude, with the neck properly bent, remember- 

 ing that in nearly all birds this nearly assumes the 

 form of the letter S, especially in long-necked 

 species. I do not like to see a bird staring 

 straight forward, but, as this is a mere matter of 

 fancy, I will not presume to dictate regarding 

 attitudes, only make the specimen look easy. Be 

 artistic, even if the specimen is going into a 

 public museum, where birds too often stare at the 

 visitors in grotesque attitudes. One can be 

 interesting and easy even in writing on the driest 

 scientific subject, — why not then give ease and 

 grace to our museum specimens ? No more room 

 need be occupied ; a slight turn of the head, a 

 twist of the neck, or an advance of a foot, will do 

 this just as a bird would do it if it were alive. 

 Now place the eyes in position, and these should be 

 pushed well into the clay, and the lids arranged 

 over them naturally with a needle. Do not have 

 the eyes too large, as it gives the bird a staring ex- 

 pression, nor too small, but as near as possible to 

 the natural ones removed. It would be well in 

 ordering eyes from a dealer to give the measure- 



