28 
HINTS ON TAXIDEREY. 
against the side of the artificial body, about midway between the 
extremities, and force the wire through transversely, until it appears 
upon the opposite side, care being taken not to penetrate the skin. 
The end should be bent into the form of a hook, when, by taking 
hold of the protruding wire at the sole of the foot, and pulling it 
towards yourself, the hook will be fimly fastened into the body. 
The incision should now be closed up, by bringing the edges of the 
skin together, and making them fast in this position with common 
pins; with ducks and larger birds it is necessary to sew up the 
lips of the incision. The legs are next brought towards each 
other, bending the wires close to the body until they are parallel. 
The joint of the fibula and tarsus should also be imitated. All 
perching and climbing species should be mounted upon stands 
formed like the letter J ; the waders, swimmers, and all other spe¬ 
cies which frequent land or water, ought to be placed upon flat 
pieces of board. The neck can now be bent into position, and the 
head directed either to the front or side, according to the taste of 
the operator. The wings are next raised up, and placed against 
the sides of the body, in the same position as when the bird was 
living, and fastened in place by means of the short wires forced 
through the shoulder into the body. The tail is supported by 
means of a wire inserted beneath the tail feathers and passed into 
the body. 
In placing birds in certain positions, it is necessary to spread 
the tail feathers. This may be accomplished in a variety of ways. 
First, by running a small pointed wire through the shaft of every 
feather: this method, however, is not applicable to very small 
birds. Another is to take a piece of cardboard, somewhat longer 
than the width of the tail spread out to its full extent, and cut a 
horizontal slit in it of the required length ; the feathers are in¬ 
serted in the slit, and are retained in whatever position they have 
been placed. This method is practiced only upon small birds. A 
third method is to take a piece of wire of small size and bend it 
double, pressing the bent end firmty together with the pincers ; the 
tail feathers are then arranged between the two, that is with one 
.above and the other beneath them. The loose ends are then 
brought together and twisted to prevent them from springing 
apart; also to hold the feathers more firmly. The latter is appli¬ 
cable to birds of any size. The two remaining wires should next 
be inserted into the body, one upon the back just below the curve 
