The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-06-14


say. where the wings join the body. each
wing must be detached by shipping off the
the muscles at the point where the bone or
hUmerus was first broken. When both
wings are detached, pull downward toward
the neck, drawing gently in the case OF
very tiny bird and firmly with large one,
drawing along the neck, where the skin peels
easily, till the skull is reached. Many birds
have skulls over which the skin will not
peel, and 1t will be necessary in these cases
to make a perpendicular slit along the top
OF the head, through which, with care, the
skin can be separated from the tissue. A
large number of birds popular for mount
ing, however, can have the skin drawn over
the head, provided you have patience In
coaxing and working the skin along. On
reaching the ears cut across the air passage
close to tho skull; when near the eye be
cautious, cutting close down to skull until
you can see through the skin, which Of
course will be the eye. When this import
ant part of the skin is detached, make an
lncision through the membrane down TO the
eyeball. but be careful not to cut or injure
the eyelid.
Now you are at the base OF the bill, and
your skinning 10 completed. Cut off the
back of the skull and let the tongue accom-
pany the neck. You then have your skin.
Let me say that one must be always prepared
to stop blood flows which happen on the cut
ting Of large veins and arteries Keep corn
meal or plaster OF Paris on hand, which will
absorb the flow. The main point is to never
let the blood touch the feathers. Remove
the brain from the skull, take out the eye
balls with caro-, aud leave no flesh adhering
TO any of the parts.
Skin down each wing to the first joint,
removing all the flesh from the humerus,
then slit the skin Of the wing along the
lower side of the middle joint. removing
through this opening all the flesh found
there; but be careful not TO detach the ends
of the large feathers from the ulna bone.
After this pour some poison into the wing.
Let me add that care should be taken not
TO stretch the neck in the peeling.
Now with all the flesh removed and the
skin thoroughly cleansed, lay it, plumage
down, on sheet of paper holding it by the
skull; and with a broad-bladed knife lay a
good heap Of powdered alum and drv arse
mic in equal parts upon it, permitting no
part Of the skin, bones or skull TO be with
out the mixture. Plug each eye socket with
ball of cotton, after which the skin must
be drawn back again over the skull. After
the skin has beeu thoroughly poisoned in
order to preserve 1t take the bill firmly be-
tween your finger and thumb and shake it
till the feathers fall properly in place. Be,
fore this insert a wire through the skull
and eye socket.
hO OOA1 Ahodu uit1 Aica OA 1OuE LuOlc
and it must be used as a model Next take
ball of excelsior, wrapping it around with
tow, and holding il in your left hand; wind
1t round and round with linen thread not
ing the shape of your model and pressing
here and depressing there, all the time
winding, till the size and shape of the orig
inal are exactly duplicated. Now take q
piece Of No. IS wire about one and half
times the length of the neck and body of
the hYrd. file aaCb and a har V1oipt md
then pass it through the false body, length
wise, from the NECK to the uther end. Bend
/ the lower end sharply upward an inch or 30,
and by twist of the pliers clinch it firmly
in the excelsior. IL the body is still lacking
in perfect shape add more material or
diminish, winding all the time; then pre-
coed to model the neck on the upper end Of
the wire. Care should be taken not to have
the body too hard, otherwise there will be
a stiffness of poise; neither should IL be too
soft, else when the legs are clinched in it it
will be rickety.
Take two No. IS wires of the length
needed for the legs, and sandpaLer them
till they are bright; then put sharp TRAN
guar point ON each, and oil to prevent
rusting. Pass the wire through the first
joint OF the middle toe and onward up
through the leg If, when mounted, the birds
heel is to be raised from the ground; if the
foot is to be fiat on the perch, then insert
the wire directly through the heel and on
ward through the leg. then through the
skin, with points long enough to fasten into
the excelsior. OF course the poise given to
the bird is matter of taste, and the ar
rangement OF the wires, curving, etc. must
rest with the mounter.
/ should advise every beginner while
holding these instructions before him to
look at some mounted birds, and he will be
better able to understand what say. Let
me remind the beginner that he must keep
the toe and leg bone perfectly in line when
inserting his wi Q, and a gentle spiral mo-
ton is best. Wrap tow around the pro-
| jeeting leg and wing bones to represent the
original flesh size.
II the bird is to be mounted with its wings
| spread insert the wires in the same manner
as in the legs but some Of the best taxlder-
rnists do not use wires for folded wings.
| Now insert your false body, passing the
| end Of the neck wire through the skin Of the
neck and putting the shart point through
the center Of the skull and out at the top Of
the head. Draw the skin carefully down
| over the body, and if there is anywhere @
misfit take out the false body and wind il
| into proper shape. When the fit is perfect.
begin by attaching the legs, entering the
point of wire about midway in the artificial
body. Let me give you the plan of a lead
| ing expert:
''Slip the wire forward through the leg
until the point passes through the body and
projects one and one-half times the thick
ness Of the body on the farther side. We
now bend two right angles in the wire halt
an inch apart. and pull the leg wire bach
| again until the point passes back through
the body just behind the spot where IL wal
first entered. Pull the point through as far
as the angles in the wire will let 1t go; Their
seize the point with the pliers, bend it down
and clinch it firmly in the body. The leg i,
now firmly and immovably attached, and
will always support the bird with nicely
and precision.
Beginners should be careful not to attach
| the legs too far back from the body, this
being mistake OF the inexperienced. Be.
fore sewing the skin together give the proper
| fulness to the thigh and knee joints with G
little clipped tow then lift the bird by thu
| legs and dress the feathers with the forcepi
aud see that the skin fits at all points, and
| that the feathers are in natural position
Move the leg up and down the wire anc
| give any poise that is required. The nature
! of the bird will of course determine whether
| he shall be on perch or upon the ground
but in all cases he will be secured firmly By
| the leg wires.
Much depends upon the exactness in pos
| ing the head and neck, which had best b
done If possible by studying living mode
| or the specimen of some expert TO sup
port the tail doubled wire resembling I
hairpin inserted into the body is good. Th'
| wing should be put In place by using thre,
long pins set at the elbow, shoulder anc
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