SOC. OF AM. TAXIDERMISTS, ANNUAL REPORT. 
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riie bare space begins at a point just over tlie wing, where the 
hiiinerns comes against tlie body (at.tlie elbow) and runs np tlie back 
in front of the wdng and along the side of tlie neck. This skin 
in list be sewed over and over, and drawn nearly together, which 
will generally obviate the trouble and when the wing has the 
first wire in it and is put against the body, it will be found to fit 
nicely and the feathers will lie smoothly. Sometimes in a bad 
skin these tufts must be cut out entirely, and replaced feather by 
feather. 
We have the wing yet in our hand at a point where the 
troublesome tuft of feathers was, but which has been drawn 
up 0'vei‘ the wing and now allows the wing to pass under it and 
fall nicely into place, providing the skin is not very dry and 
lirittle. Xow slant the lilunt end of the wire in your hand for- 
ward and slightly up, and push it into the body. The next wdre 
is to go through the spurious or first quills and should slant iiq) 
toward the back of the bird when pushed in. 
The third should go hetween the radius and ulna at the elbow 
and also slant slightly, so that the three wnres enter the body at 
different angles. The wi ng is thus prevented from slipping off of the 
wires after they are cut close to it when the s])ecinien is finished. 
The three wing wires are to each have a small piece of thin card 
board slid on to them, and pressed down to the wing, whicli will 
thus prevent the thread from sliding down the wires and making 
a hollow in the feathers. It is often necessary to apply consid- 
erable pi'essnre to the wings in order to bring them into place. 
The other wing is to be adjusted in the same way. Arrange 
both wings alike wdiich can only he done by looking at the bird 
from all sides. The wings of a bird when at rest should always 
be alike, unless the bird is standing upon one foot, and then the wing 
which is on the standing side is slightly droojjed, and out a little 
from the body. In fact the whole bird is moved to one side and 
the standing leg is in this way brought under the center of the 
body. After the wings are wdred and adjusted the next thing 
is to place three or four wires in the back, in an imaginary 
lateral line running down the back, along which ^^iit the wires 
as shown in the cut. The same line should be observed in the 
breast and belly, and the wires put immediately under those 
placed in the back. By this means you have divided your bird 
in equal halves, and will thus be enabled to wind both sides 
