A Penny Weekly Magazine of Natural History. 



No. 24. APRIL 10th, 1880. Vol. 1. 



"PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY." 



STUFFING. 



THERE seems to be some difference 

 between Mr. Browne's method 

 and our own of stuffing a bird, but we 

 will give that which we have always 

 practised, and which we think our 

 readers will find an easy method, at 

 least as easy a one as can be placed 

 before them. Well then, get some iron 

 wire, for a Sparrow, about the thick- 

 ness of an ordinary pin, when it is 

 bought at the ironmongers it will be 

 hard and stiff, cut off ( with a pair of 

 bellhanger's pliers) three pieces about 

 six inches long, put them in the fire 

 until they become red, then take them 

 out and allow them to cool gradually, 

 they will now be found to be quite soft 

 and pliable. Many birdstuffers seem' 

 to overlook this important point, they 

 use their wire unsof'tened, and the con- 

 sequence is they cannot bend their 

 birds into proper positions. Have 

 ready also some tow, cotton wool, small 

 twine, file, needle and unglazed thread, 

 and a piece of stick with a cross piece 

 on the top, for the bird to stand upon. 

 Get the three pieces of wire, and one 

 after the other take hold of one end 



with the pliers, and draw them between 

 the thumb and finger to straighten 

 them. Now take one of them and 

 wind a bit of tow round the centre, and 

 by bending the wire over the tow form 

 a loop so as to keep the body you are 

 going to make from slipping up and 

 down. Make an artificial body and 

 neck of tow, as near like the one you 

 took out as possible, wrapping it and 

 putting it into shape with the small 

 twine. Having done this take up the 

 file, and point both ends of the body 

 wire, and one end of the other two 

 which are for the legs. Get a long 

 entomological pin, or a bit of small 

 wire not softened, and if the latter, point 

 it, and pass it through every feather of 

 the tail, this holds the feathers even, 

 and allows the tail to be spread or 

 compressed as desired. Now take the 

 artificial body in the right hand, holding 

 the bird's head by the other, with the 

 pointed wire feel your way up the neck, 

 and bore through the scalp at the top 

 of the head. Gradually work the body 

 into its proper place, then pass the 

 opposite end of the wire into the tail, 

 coming out underneath. Take hold of 

 one of the leg-wires with the pliers, 

 and beginning at the sole of the foot 



