1830O 
On the Art of Taxidermy. 
161 
from spoiling tlie feathers. When it is to be prepared, lay the bird on its back, 
having previously sown a thread through the nostrils (see fig. 1st.) ; an incision 
through the skin, from the middle of the breast to the rump, as there represented, 
is then to be made. Skin as far as you can, by introducing the fingers. Press the 
legs up, and dislocate the bones from the hip ; cut the flesh from the thigh bones, 
and the rump from the body, (it must be left on the skin to keep the tail feathers 
properly in position ;) care must be taken not to cut the skin in this operation, and 
the following one of skinning the back. Skin the bird as far as you can, by turning 
it inside out; as you proceed, the wings must be dislocated : cut the neck off close 
to the head, into which make an opening, 'see fig. 2,) and take out the brains ; 
anoint the head and skin of the neck with the preparation intended to be used 
in preserving the specimen ; then with the assistance of the thread through the 
nostril pull the head to its proper place. Cut the flesh off the wing bones, and tie 
both together with a thread ; anoint the whole skin with the preparation ; have 
ready a quantity of tow well cut into short pieces ; stuff the neck very gently with 
lliis, and lay a layer of it inside, over the whole body ; have a pointed wire ready. 
(No. 1) ; pass it carefully up through the stuffing of the neck, and through the 
head, the oval will be at the body of the bird. Take a pointed wire, (No. 2,) in- 
troduce it up the leg, and fasten it to the oval of No. 1, by twisting it round (a large 
bird will require to have tow or cloth wrapped round this wire and the thigh bone, 
and also the wing bone, to represent the thigh and wing as near as possible ; the 
thigh must be made before the wire is fixed) ; do the same to the other leg. If it is 
necessary the tail should appear in any particular position, take a piece of wire 
and form it as represented in No, 3 ; point the two ends, and pass them through the 
rump : the oval of this tail piece to be fastened to the oval of No. 1 with thin wire. 
Take the eyes out, and also the tongue, anointing the sockets and throat with the 
preparation. As touch flesh as possible should be taken from the outer pinions 
of the wing, by an incision marked a, fig. 3, and the parts anointed. The inci- 
sion first made in the belly is now to be sewed up, stuffing the bird with the 
