
"HINTS ON TAXIDERMY. 197 





























anl holding the head of the bird in the left hand, letting 
the skin hang down, with the right, insert it up through the 
cut tow within the neck, and thence through the top of the 
skull. Care must be taken not to push too hard, for by so 
doing you may displace the stuffing, but rather twirl the 
wire between the thumb and forefinger, when it will be 
found to penetrate easily. The skin must then be drawn 
over the artificial body, and the leg wires placed in position. 
The latter is done by placing the pointed end upon the sole 
of the foot, and forcing it up through the tar- WT 
sus, between the skin and the bone, until the 
point has reached the first joint. The leg bones 
should then be turned out again, when the wire . 
will appear as in Fig. 37 a, w. It should then i j 
be forced up a little above the top of the fibula, B ^ 
and cotton wound about both. This should be made to re- 
semble the form of the flesh, which has been removed, and 
bound about with thread to prevent it from slipping (Fig. 
315,1). The whole may then be turned back into its proper 
place. Now hold the protruding point against the side of 
the artificial body, about midway between the extremities, 
and force the wire through transversely, until it appears upon 
the opposite side, care being taken not to penetrate the skin: 
The end should be bent into the form of a hook, when, by 
taking hold of the protruding wire at the sole of the foot, and 
pulling it towards yourself, the hook will be firmly fastened _ 
de o the body. The incision should now be closed up, by 
bringing the edges of the skin together,and made fast in this 
Position with common pins; with ducks and larger birds it 
necessary to sew up the lips of the incision. The legs are 
next brought towards each other, bending the wires close to 
3 body until they are parallel. The joint of the fibula and 
tarsus Should also be imitated. The bird is now ready to | 
Place upon a pedestal. All perching and climbing species 
uld be mounted upon stands formed like the letter T; the 




"s skin; f, fibula; w, wire; 1, artificial leg. 

