ON PRESERVING BIRDS. 
299 
but on the contrary in an oblique direction, of course, 
as soon as it is cut off, the remaining part of the 
thigh and leg, having nothing now to support them 
obliquely, must naturally fall to their perpendicular. 
Hence the reason why the legs appear considerably 
too long. To correct this, take your needle and 
thread, fasten the end round the bone inside, and 
then push the needle through the skin just opposite 
to it. Look on the outside, and after finding the 
needle amongst the feathers, tack up the thigh under 
the wing with several strong stitches. This will 
shorten the thigh, and render it quite capable of 
supporting the weight of the body without the help 
of wire. This done, take out every bit of cotton, 
except the artificial thighs, and adjust the wing 
bones (which are connected by the thread) in the 
most even manner possible, so that one joint does not 
appear to lie lower than the other; for unless they 
are quite equal, the wings themselves will be unequal, 
when you come to put them in their proper attitude. 
Here then rests the shell of the poor hawk, ready to 
receive, from your skill and judgment, the size, the 
shape, the features and expression it had, ere death, 
and your dissecting hand, brought it to its present 
still and formless state. The cold hand of death 
stamps deep its mark upon the prostrate victim. 
When the heart ceases to beat, and the blood no 
longer courses through the veins, the features col¬ 
lapse, and the whole frame seems to shrink within 
itself. If then you have formed your idea of the 
real appearance of the bird from a dead specimen, 
you will be in error. With this in mind, and at the 
Preserving 
Birds. 
