NECESSARY TOOLS. 



61 



I 



I 



useful for cutting fine wires or pins, in situations wliere tlie use 

 of tlie other pliers is impracticable. 

 Remarks as to grip as before. 



Botli of these articles should 

 be of the best workmanship and 

 materials. Buck, of London, and 

 Stubbs, of "Warrington, may be 

 recommended as good makers. 



I lately procured a very handy 

 little pair of cutting nippers of 

 elegant workmanship, used chiefly 

 by watchmakers, and made in Paris. 

 These are excellent for delicate work 

 or for cutting very fine wire or 

 entomological pins (see Fig. 18). 



I now figure a, most necessary 

 little pair of pliers for dressing the 

 feathers of birds. These are also 

 used by watchmakers, are of neat 

 construction and differ from most 

 pliers in having an obtusely rounded 

 point (see Fig. 19, A and B). These, 

 which I call "feather pliers," are, 

 in conjunction with a small, thick, 

 round, camel-hair brush (used by 

 artists for "washing in"), indis- 

 pensable for "feathering up" birds, 

 a process to be described later on. 



'Fig. 20 is the next, and I fancy I 

 hear some reader exclaim, " What 

 on earth has a goffering-iron to do 

 with taxidermy ? " I reply : This 

 shaped tool is wanted for artfully 

 conveying small morsels of tow, &c., into the- 

 necks and hollow places of birds' skins. It 

 may be easily made in this wise : Procure as 

 small and fine a pair of goffering-irons as. 

 you possibly can, and have them drawn out. 

 and brought to a fine yet obtuse point by 



