MOUNTING IN GENERAL. 



39 



Nature. Do we stand rigid, like a foot-soldier on drill ? Does 

 not a bird, as well as ourselves, accommodate itself to the thing 

 on which it rests ? Assuredly it does ; for birds do not, as a 

 young bird-stufier endeavors to do, find always a perch to rest 

 upon in the plane of the horizon. It therefore follows that, as 

 he keeps himself upright, his legs must accommodate themselves 

 to his perch. So in the ground-birds there is a gentle slope back- 

 wards from the hind toe, the balance being preserved in both 



Position of the Legs on the Perch. 

 cases by throwing the body forward in proportion. It is not un- 

 common to see birds preserved with wings and tail spread. Now, 

 ordinarily speaking, this is very objectionable, because very un- 

 natural. A bird preserved is supposed to represent a bird in a 

 state of repose, that is, not in flight ; the only modification allow- 

 able being with regard to those birds whose manner it may be to 

 have the wings more or less open on occasions ; thus the falcon 

 tribe, supposing they are represented as devouring a quany, or 

 two birds toying with each other. It may be that a bird essen- 

 tially atrial, like the wif t, or perhaps some of the terns or the 

 frigate bird, may be represented as actually on the wing. In this 

 case, of course, the wings must be spread ; and this is best done 

 by passing a wire, not too thick, from the base of the quill- 

 feathers on the under side, alongside the bone into the body, 

 where it should be carefully and coaxingly inserted towards the 

 Fig. 19. Fig. 20. Fig. 21. Fig. 22. 



Proper positions of Birds. 



