44 the taxidermist's guide. 



their natural shape, they must be fixed to the sides by cement and 

 cotton, and a long pin through each, with the head concealed 

 amongst the feathers. The scapulars, which we haye cut off, 

 must then be cemented on, and they will effectually cover the 

 joining of the wings. The bird being now arranged, and all the 

 feathers adjusted, it is wrapped round with small bands of fine 

 linen or muslin, ajad set aside till thoroughly dry. 



Should any feathers be disengaged during the mounting, they 

 must be kept, and, when the bird is dry, we can replace them in 

 their proper situations with a pair of forceps, after they have been 

 touched on their shafts with the cement ; the feathers around the 

 place in which we intend to insert them, must be held up with the 

 probing-needle. 



If any of the feathers are deranged in mounting, and have got a 

 wrong set, the only way to remedy the defect is to pull them out 

 with forceps, and re-insert them with cement. 



OF MOUNTING BIRDS, FEATHER BY FEATHER. 



Rare birds are frequently received from foreign countries, the 

 skins of which are in such a state of decay, that it is impossible to 

 mount them by the ordinary processes above described. The 

 only way in which they can be preserved, is to mount them feather 

 by feather, which, however, is a very tedious method. It is as fol- 

 lows : 



Procure a piece of soft pliable wire, such as is used by bell-hang- 

 ers ; or take some of the ordinary wire used, and make it red-hot 

 in the fire, and allow it to cool gradually, v when it will become 

 quite pliable. Take five pieces of this, of different lengths, and 

 form them into the skeleton of a body ; namely, two for the back, 

 one on each side, and one to represent the breast bone. Imitate 

 the shape of the bird's body, as nearly as possible. The wires 

 must be roughened with a file, at the place where all the wires 

 meet, at the neck and rump ; and first wrap the place next the 

 neck round with strong thread or fine brass wire. Two pieces 

 intended for the back must bend gently downwards, and be grad- 

 ually separated from each other towards the centre, and brought 

 together again at the place intended for the rump, whither they 

 must intersect each other, and be twisted two or three times, to 

 keep them in their place ; they are then spread out as supports for 



