How to Stuff Birds and Animals

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taining the plumage; but should any get on the feathers, notwithstanding this precaution, the sooner it is removed the better, which should be effected by a sponge which has been

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ng the hands in

of the breast separated to the right and left, when a broad interval will be d

ard, as in the common method of skinning a rabbit, and the skin turned back, so far as to enable you to separate the legs from the body, at the knee-joint. The skin is then pulled downwards, as low as the rump, which is cut close by the insertion of the tail, as shown in fig. 2, but in such a manner as not to injure its feathers. The skin is now drawn upwards the length of the wings, the bones of which must also be cut at the shoulder-joints; it is then pulled up, till all the back part of the skull is laid bare, when the vertebr? of the neck are separated from the head, and the wh

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ended for

, which must be neatly sewed up before stuffing. The flesh from the head, wings, legs, and rump, must then be carefully removed with a knife, and the cavities of the skull filled with cotton or tow. The whole inside of the skin, head, etc., must be well rubbed with arsenical soap,

g up to dry, after using the arsenical soap, as above directed; before doing which, in larger birds, a thread or small string may be drawn through the rump, and passed up to the inside of the n

wings. This may be done with marine birds to advantage. The Peng

kept in the mouth, or sent h

so common to sea-birds, from getting on the feathers; pounded chal

a box; and camphor, preserving powder, and strong aromatics, strewn amongst them, to prevent t

oned whether they are male or female; such a memorandum ought to be attached to the birds by a ticket. The season of the year in which the bird is killed, must also be mentioned.

perfect safety, and made excellent specimens when set up. In warm climates, the boxes should be well closed, and the seams filled with warm pitch on the outside,

feathers clean, if, as he opens the skin of the breast, he pins pieces of pape

. As much as possible should be scraped off, in the first place, with a blunt table-knife or palate-knife, and a quantity of powdered chalk applied, to absorb what remains, which, when satura

with these requisites for absorbing the oil, which flows quickly from

hat of any other animal-mix it with about double the quantity of water, and apply it with a sponge to the place which the fatty matter has touched, when it will immediately remove it. The next is by using a solution of salt of tartar, or potash, or soda. This must be made very weak, not exceeding half a tea-spoonful to a cup of water, which will have the same effect as the gall. Whichever of these are used, the place must be immediately afterwards washed in pure water, so as to leave none of the gall or alk

ir the better; and unless they are speedily and thoroughly dried, the skin will become putrid and rotten, and the hair or feathers will consequently fall off. If a skin is pr

ing, it will be of use to keep in mind, that in taking off the skin from the body, by means of yo

he bird, and every now and then take a view of i

body of the skin rest on your knee, for if you allow it to da

dy, you must put cotton immediately betwixt the body and it, and this will effect

the shot-holes. As blood will have often issued out, before you have laid hold of the bird, find out the shot-holes, by dividing the feathers with your fingers, and blowing on them; and then, with your pen-knife, or the leaf of a tree, carefully remove the clotted blood, and put a little cotton on the hole. If, after all,

cross one knee over the other, and have the bird upon the uppermost, you can raise it to your eye, or lower it at pleasure, by means of the foo

ING B

ite side; and we are careful that the feathers, at the margin of the opening, do not enter with the edges of the skin. The bird is now laid on the table with the head turned towards the left hand, and the legs and wings adjusted to their proper situation. A flat piece of lead, about a pound in weight, is laid on the tail, while the feathers of the margins of the opening

small ring is formed, by the assistance of the round pincers or pliers, and the other end is pointed with a file. This wire is oiled, and introduced across the skull, and passed into the neck through the center

4 t

il-bearers separated; 6, a leg-wire separated; 7, the bod

e central wire beyond the ring, are all twisted together with flat pincers, and then bent towards the tail. The tail-bearer is next formed, which consists of the fourth piece of wire, with which an oval is formed, by twisting the two ends two or three turns, so that they may form a kind of fork, with the oval nearly the length of the body of the bird; the two points of the fork must be sharpened with a f

be soaked with the solution of corrosive sublimate. The stuffing is now proceeded with, by inserting chopped flax or tow, till it has attain

d to round the eyelids properly. The glass eyes are now inserted, taking care to place them properly under the eyelids. But, before fixing the eye, a little calc

s, which have been allowed to protrude from the soles of the feet, for fixing the bird (See fig 8.) These, of course, are pierced in such situations as are necessary for the attitude or position of the legs. The wires are put through t

pted for small than large birds. Indeed, it will hardly suit those of the larger species. The followin

ed a second time, and firmly united to the longer end, which ought to be straight, with a sharp point, effected by means of a file. As before directed, it is rubbed with oil, and forced through the stuffing of the neck. It ought to be so constructed, by measurement, that the oval part of the wire shall be in the center of the body inside. The wires of the feet and legs, as before directed, ought to be straight and pointed, and passed

in the same manner, as before described, and the latter apparatus

ly adopted in that establishment in preference to introducing it before the neck is stuffed. The neck of a swan or other long-necked and large b

METHOD OF ST

e head of the bird; twist them together, sharpen the ends of the longer by means of a file, and pass one end through the rump and the other through the crown of the head, near the base of the bill. Care must be taken not to extend the neck beyond its ordinary length-a very common fault in most preservers. Lay a little tow along the back of the skin for the wire to rest on, then take two other pieces of strong wire and file them to a point at one end; these are passed through the soles of the feet and up the center of the leg-bone,

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of inserting the wire

ETHOD OF BIRD SKIN

er of some kind, to give your knife an occasional touch, you are prepared, so far as implements go. Then provide yourself with annealed iron wire of various sizes; some you may buy ready for use, some not; but you can anneal it yourself by making it red hot in the fire, and letting it cool in the air. Common hemp is the next article, cotton wadding, pounded whitening, and pounded alum, or chloride of lime; as to the poisons which are used, they will be spoken of by and by. You should also have a com

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r mountin

led much over the feathers, so as to damage them, wash them carefully but thoroughly with warm water and a sponge, and immediately cover them with pounded whitening, which will adhere to them. Dry it as it hangs upon them slowly before the fire, and then triturating

g hold of one leg and bending it forward, you will be able to bring the bare knee through the opening you have made; and with your scissors cut it through at the joint; pull the shank still adhering to the leg till the skin is turned b

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g round the body, and hang it up as a butcher skins a sheep. Make in the back of the skull a cut of the annexed form, with your knife, which you can turn back like a trap-door, and with the marrow-spoon entirely clear out the brains; A representing the neck, and B the skin turned back. Having done this, wash the interior of the skull thoroughly with the alum, and fill it with cotton wadding. The next operation requires care and practice-namely

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t for in

pliers. Wind upon this wire hemp to the side of the bird's body, which you should have lying by you to judge from, and it will present something of this appearance. You can shape it with the hand, but be careful not to make it the least too large; and, after you have finished it to your satisfaction, you may singe it, as the poulterer would singe a fowl, which will make all neat; but be particular to wind the hemp very tight. Then take the skin, lay it on the table on its back, and pass the wire at the head into the marrow where the neck is cut off, through above the roof of

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wound on

spray upon which it is to be placed. The next operation requires some address and great practice, namely, the passing the wire up the legs. This is done by

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e this, a representing the line in which the wire should run. The bird is now stuffed, and you may at once place it upon a spray or board, as the case may be. In placing a bird upon a spray, the first joint should be bent almost on a level with the foot; and in placing a bird on a board, one leg should be placed somewhat behind the other. If the wings are intended to be closed, as is usually the case, bring them into their place, which may be done by putting the fingers under them, and pressing them together over the back; you may t

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e difficulty; the juice of the lids will act as a sufficient cement. As to the mounting, I shall say nothing about that now, but shall only advert shortly to a French method of preserving which i

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in Frenc

e tail grows, it is a fork that is passed through it. Having formed this frame, fit on to it two legs, thus: and after the frame itself is in the skin, pass these from t

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Wire

weather, when there are no flies about, alum will do perfectly well; in warm weather either of the two others may be used. I should prefer the former-corrosive sublimate-as the other is "messy," and the chief object is to dry up anything which can be attacked by flesh-seeking insects.