t of black thread with glue
and with a setting needle place between the lids and glass eyes.

[Illustration: THE POSE OR POSITION OF CERTAIN BIRDS]

If the eyes were not on hand when first mounted the lids should have
been relaxed and the eyes set as soon as procured.

Small birds may be mounted in fluttering attitudes by pinning the wings
with a bunch of cotton beneath them, but if an attitude with wings fully
spread is called for they must be treated in a manner similar to the
legs, inserting the wire under the skin near the tip of the wing and
running it along the under side of the wing bones to the body through
which it is thrust and clinched as the leg wires were.

[Illustration: FLUTTERING POSITION OF SMALL BIRDS.]

Birds mounted with spread wings cannot be so readily wound to smooth the
plumage and require to be braced with strips of stiff paper and
sometimes extra wires, which are removed when dry.

[Illustration: NATURAL STANDING POSITION OF SMALL BIRD ON LIMB.]

CHAPTER X.

MOUNTING LARGE BIRDS.

The same principles employed in the manipulation of smaller species
apply to this class with but a few variations. On account of their size
and weight the artificial bodies need to be especially firm in order to
afford a secure anchorage for the wing and leg wires. Also these
supports should be fastened to the bones in several places with stout
cord or small wire, as wrapping with the tow and thread used on small
birds is hardly sufficient.

What I would class as being large birds are the larger hawks, owls,
herons, eagles, geese, etc. The several varieties of the ostrich are
known as colossal birds and are skinned and preserved much as the large
quadrupeds by mounting the prepared skin on a manikin, built in the pose
of the finished specimen and supported by heavy iron rods.

[Illustration: BIRD OF PREY--LIMB POSITION.]

In mounting eagles or similar birds with wings spread, which seems to be
a popular attitude, use the largest wires possible as anything less than
that will, on account of their size and wide extent, tend to a drooping,
back-boneless appearance entirely out of keeping.

It goes without saying that large birds do not require the delicate
handling of small ones, but by way of compensation considerable force is
needed.

[Illustration: SPREADING TAIL OF LARGE BIRDS.

Run a small sharp wire through the quills on under side of tail to
spread it.]

The combs and wattles of domesti