om this artificial
neck, cut it off at that length and with a flat file or emery wheel give
it a sharp triangular point. The leg wires, too, should be pointed
similarly. All wire should be smooth, straight, and free from kinks to
work well. Coming in coils it will require straightening, the larger
sizes with mallet or hammer and No. 18 and smaller by fastening one end
in the vise and giving the other a sharp tug with a pair of pliers. It
will be felt to stretch slightly and become quite straight.

Next insert the pointed end of a leg wire in the bottom of the foot and
pass it up along the back of the bone between it and the skin. A
considerable knack is necessary to do this successfully and some force
must be used. Passing the heel joint is difficult but having done this
and emerged inside the skin continue to pass it until it is a little
longer than the leg bone beside it.

[Illustration: WIRING LEG OF BIRD]

Turn the skin of leg inside out and wrapping tow around both bone and
wire build up a duplicate of the leg from thigh to heel, wrapping snugly
with thread. Treat the other leg the same.

With forceps fill the skull back of mouth with tow cut in short pieces.
A quantity of this may be chopped on the block with the hatchet and kept
on hand in a box. Never fill any part of a mounted bird with cotton
unless it may be the sockets as it is impossible to force a sharpened
wire or pin through it.

The parts of the wing bones remaining should be wrapped with tow as the
legs are, only they hardly need any wiring inside unless the bird is to
be with wings spread. Fasten the ends of the wing bones together by a
stout cord or thread so they are separated the distance between the
shoulders, measuring across the back of body. Now insert the neck wire
in the back of skull forcing it out through the crown until the
artificial neck is brought snugly against the opening at the base of the
skull.

Bend the pointed end over to get it out of the way and adjust the skin
of the neck. Draw the skin of breast over the body keeping the bird on
its back. If the body has been properly made it will fill the skin
rather loosely. If too large it can be removed and made smaller before
proceeding.

The operator will note that in all small and medium birds the thigh and
the upper wing, next the shoulder are not built up and wired with the
rest of the limbs but are filled out later from inside the skin, as in
all ordinary positions they sho