ON PRESERVING BIRDS. 



267 



admirably formed for expansion about the throat and 

 stomach ; and they fit into the different cavities of the 

 body at the wings, shoulders, rump, and thighs, with 

 wonderful exactness; so that in stuffing the bird, if 

 you make an even rotund surface of the skin, where 

 these cavities existed, in lieu of reforming them, all 

 symmetry, order, and proportion are lost for ever. 



You must lay it down as an absolute rule, that the 

 bird is to be entirely skinned, otherwise you can never 

 succeed in forming a true and pleasing specimen. 



You will allow this to be just, after reflecting a 

 moment on the nature of the fleshy parts and tendons," 

 which are often left in : 1st, they require to be well 

 seasoned with aromatic spices ; 2dly, they must be put 

 into the oven to dry ; 3dly, the heat of the fire, and 

 the natural tendency all cured flesh has to shrink and 

 become hard, render the specimen withered, distorted, 

 and too small ; 4thly, the inside then becomes like a 

 ham, or any other dried meat. Ere long the insects 

 claim it as their own ; the feathers begin to drop off, 

 and you have the hideous spectacle of death in ragged 

 plumage. 



Wire is of no manner of use, but, on the contrary, a 

 great nuisance ; for where it is introduced, a disagree- 

 able stiifness and derangement of symmetry follow. 



The head and neck can be placed in any attitude, the 

 body supported, the wings closed, extended, or elevated, 

 the tail depressed, raised, or expanded, the thighs set 

 horizontal or oblique, without any aid from wire. 

 Cotton will effect all this. 



A very small proportion of the skull bone, say, from 

 the forepart of the eyes to the bill, is to be left in ; 

 though even this is not absolutely necessary. Part of 



