red, will brighten them up wonderfully. Ostrich
and other feathers may be effectually cleaned by any of the foregoing
methods, and, by management, re-curled with a blunt knife and the
fingers.

"MAKING UP" From Pieces.--I have before mentioned that birds are
sometimes made up feather by feather, and also when pulled to pieces
for "relaxing." The first is simply pretty pastime, which any person
possessed of patience, some little ability, and a stock of feathers,
paste, and paper, may indulge in as a recreation.

The latter, however, is a different matter, and is practised in cases
where a bird's skin is accidentally torn in several parts, or drops to
pieces when "relaxed" through imperfect curing, or by old age. When
this happens, the amateur need not feel as if the world would be the
next thing to tumble to pieces, but simply get to work thus: Make a
body of tow, with neck attached, as described; next, pull the legs off
(if they have not previously fallen off), wire them, and attach them
firmly to the body by clenching their free ends; bend these legs into
the position you wish the specimen ultimately to assume and attach the
wires at the feet to a block or perch. A T, formed of two pieces of
wood, the bottom end attached to a block, is, perhaps, the best
support, as you can get all round to adjust everything, even to the
tail.

Your progress up to this point is simply a headless neck attached to a
tow body, supported by natural legs fixed to a perch. I assume that
your fragments are sufficiently relaxed, and the feathers cleaned and
nearly dried. All the fat must, of course, have been scraped off the
inside of each piece of skin. Arrange these pieces in the order they
should come upon the model, to get the "fit," as a dressmaker would
arrange the patterns of a dress upon a lady. Notice where your model
is too small or misshapen, and bind on pieces of tow; or paste and
bind on wadding, excepting near the wings, where wires would fail to
pierce wool or wadding.

When properly-shaped, give the whole of the model a good dressing with
flour paste (see No. 31), into which a little carbolic acid has been
stirred. Paste the inside of each piece of skin with this, and
commence to finally rearrange them. As a rule, the under and breast
pieces are fixed first, then the wings are wired and firmly clenched
on the body; adjust the wings into proper position, bringing the
breast feathers over at the shoulders; next, put on the w