68 
MANUAL OF TAXIDERMY. 
by the feathers. The wing should be outstretched 
when this is done. 
Cut wire for the legs of the same size as used for 
the neck, and about as long. Pass them up through 
the tarsus, inserting in the middle of the sole of 
the foot. Be sure the wire is perfectly straight 
before attempting this. A good way to straighten 
wire is to place a pine-board on the floor, stand on 
it, and then draw a long pull of wire under it by 
grasping the end with pliers ; or a small piece of 
wire may be straightened by rolling it on the 
bench with a file. If the skin of the tarsus splits 
in boring, it shows that the wire used is either 
too large or crooked. After the wire is pushed up 
to the heel or tarsal joint (Fig. 15, f), turn the 
tibial bone out until the point of the wire appears, 
when it should be grasped and drawn up so that 
the point protrudes slightly beyond the tibial 
joint. Wrap the tibial bone, wire and all, with 
cotton or tow (in large specimens, the wire should 
be bound to the bone with fine wire or thread) so 
as to form a natural leg, then draw it back into 
the skin. Next force the wire through the body 
at the point where the knee touches it, or about 
midway on the side. The wire will emerge on the 
opposite side. Turn down the skin of the orifice, 
