WRAPPING BIRDS . 
465 
pull the leg back and run wire through the body and bend it over aud clinch tightly. 
Push wire through the base of tail and its pointed end in body. Sew up the belly¬ 
opening, bend legs into position, but in doing this avoid placing them too far back, 
and fasten the bird on a stand* or perch. The wings now hang from the sides ; push 
them into position, being very careful to have them exactly alike on both sides—i. e. 
have tips even over the tail, and don’t allow one wing to be higher or lower on the 
body or farther ahead than the other—and pin each wing to the body,f with three sepa¬ 
rate pins (insect pins of different sizes for small birds) or wires ; one being passed 
in the wrist, another in the shoulder and one below the elbow-joint. The heads of 
pins or ends of wires should be allowed to stick out from wings to aid in holding 
thread, which later on will be used in winding the bird. 
Now finish stuffing the head. This is done by inserting small pieces of fine tow 
or cotton through the mouth and filling out tho back and sides, as well as the throat 
or any sunken places in the upper part of the neck, until these parts are stuffed to 
the natural size—do not under any circumstances make the head or neck too full. 
Put in each eye-socket a small quantity of soft potter’s clay or putty, open the eye¬ 
lids and insert artificial e 3 >-es, of the right color, and press them firmly in the clay or 
putty backing ; apply a drop of mucilage or Page’s glue to inside of eyelids to keep 
them in a natural shape around each eye. Fasten the mandibles together, if you 
want to close tlie mouth, with a pin or a thread. 
MOUNTED BIRD WHAPPEI) WITH THREAD. 
Make a careful examination of the bird, from above, below, in front, behind and 
on both sides, and if it is not in the position you desire, bend the legs, head, neck or 
tail until it is satisfactory, and dress the plumage with spring forceps and needle 
until all the feathers lie as they would do on the living bird. 
The next step is to wind down the plumage with fine thread to give proper con¬ 
tour and smoothness. 
* If placed on a stand like those illustrated (Fig. V and VIII). or on a flat board or block, holes should 
be bored at a proper distance apart, through the wood, and through these holes the wires protruding from 
the feet should be passed and securely fixed by either twisting the ends together or clinching on the under 
surface of the block. 
I Before fastening the wings examine the bird and see if it is too hollow on any part of the back, breast 
or side. In case any such places are seen, make an incision lengthwise in the body under the wing, aud 
take a pair of stuffing forceps and fill out the sunken places with small wads of tine tow. 
30 Birds. 
