SKINNING AND PRESERVING BIRDS.
IN order that this shall be a thoroughly practical chapter, I will, in
my method of working, copy the admirable plan of my old sporting
favourite, Col. Hawker, who, when wishing to note down some difficult
point, was in the habit of doing with his own hands all things
pertaining to the matter at issue, because, as he said, he might not
make mistakes when subsequently writing upon knotty subjects intended
for his readers' consideration.
I have, therefore, specially procured a starling, as I consider this
bird the very best for the amateur's purpose, not only on account of
the toughness of the skin, but also because, being a medium-sized
bird, it presents no difficult points in skinning, and with this bird
before me I shall minutely instruct my pupil, pointing out each step
that has to be taken and each difficulty that is likely to arise.
As I shall have occasion constantly to refer to the various parts of
the skeleton, I now give an engraving of that of the Peregrine Falcon,
in order to help my explanations in the future (see Plate II.).
Having placed ready for use the skinning knife (see Fig. 11), the
scissors (Fig. 14), and the cobbler's crooked awl in handle, a pot of
preservative mixture, some cotton wool or wadding, some tow, and a
needle and thread; lay the starling on its back on a piece of clean
paper, the head of the bird pointing from the operator; then seize the
bird by the sides of the head with the first two fingers and thumb of
the left hand in opposition, the awl held in the palm of the right
hand, and a piece of wool between the right-hand finger and thumb;
then insert the point of the awl between the upper and lower
mandibles, and, having opened them, keep them open with the first
finger of the right hand, removing the piece of wool which should have
been previously placed there by the sportsman (see instructions re
shot birds, at end of Chapter II.). Replacing it with the fresh piece
of wool held in readiness, plug the nostrils in the same manner.
As even this simple operation will have somewhat disarranged the
feathers of the head and neck, smooth them down with the fingers,
taking care, however, not to stretch the neck in doing so. The next
operation is to hold the left-hand wing with the left hand, and with
the fingers of the right hand break or disjoint the bone of the wing
as close to the body as possible, i.e, across the "humerus" (E) (in
the case of large birds, or for some special purpose, this bone is
often left intact, but the amateur will be puzzled how to subsequently
arrange it in the skin if unbroken). Repeat this on the other wing.
For those whose fingers are not strong enough to do this effectually,
I recommend a small pair of flat-nosed pliers, some sizes larger than
the "feather pliers" (Fig. 19).
Large birds may have their wings broken at the humeri (E) by striking
them with a stick or hammer in such a manner as not to break nor
seriously disarrange the feathers; the largest-sized pliers (Fig. 16)
may also be used for this purpose, but in that case a piece of clean
rag should be folded in the jaws of the pliers so as to envelope the
upper and under surface of the wing, in order to protect the feathers
from injury. Practice will, however, point out the best method of
doing this. Next take hold of the legs with the fingers and gently
twist them out of joint at the junction of the tibia and femur.
Now, keeping the head of the bird toward you, part the feathers away
from each side of the sternum or breast-bone; then with the knife held
short in the hand, the point placed exactly in the centre of the bird
(calculating from the bill to the tip of the tail), make the first
incision just on the right side of the breast bone down to the vent,
taking care not to cut so deeply as to expose the intestines. Now turn
the bill towards your right, and gently lay hold of the cut edge of
the skin, which you see shining whitely in front of you; then with the
point of the knife--the cutting edge kept on the flesh--gently loosen
the skin above, below, and downwards. Completely reverse the bird, and
repeat this for the other side.
At this stage the body may be held down, with the knife pressed on the
side of the breast bone, and thus the two first fingers of the left
hand may be advantageously employed--but in a very gentle manner--to
loosen the skin around the upper part of the breast-bone from the
inside, while the thumb regulates the pull from the outside. All must
be done with the feathers kept as much away from the flesh as
possible.
Fig. 22--Starling--Showing Position of First Incision and the
Commencement of the Removal of the Skin.
Fig. 22 shows the appearance which the specimen should now present.
The skin being, as it were, nicely "persuaded" from the flesh (more
being done by pushing than by pulling), the legs begin to appear. Take
hold of the one nearest to you with the right hand, at the same time
inserting the fingers of the left inside the skin; then, by gently
pushing up with the right hand, free the legs sufficiently to show the
second joint, where it has been previously twisted or broken.
Laying down the knife, and picking up the scissors, force their point
underneath the joint, marked P in Plate II, and cut it completely off;
it should then be clear of the flesh, showing the skin on either side
as if it were a stocking turned inside out. Pull it gently by the claw
back into its proper position, and there leave it, and do the same by
the other leg, turning the bird again for that, purpose.
Both the legs should now be entirely free, not holding to the body at
any point. Taking up the knife again, carefully work with it down
toward the tail, and as far round the back as you can get with safety.
Now let the bird rest on its head, as it were, with the beak from you,
and, placing the fingers with the thumb on the back (which is now
underneath), the middle finger on the root of the tail inside, flanked
by the first and third fingers keeping down the skin on either side,
cautiously insert the knife through the skin of the vent, and cut that
free, cutting upward in a slanting direction; having done this,
carefully cut away on the root of the tail, at the same time freeing
it wherever it sticks; then, when nothing but one bone, that is to
say, the last caudal vertebra, holds it, slip the knife underneath and
cut with a drawing motion upward. The tail is now entirely separated
from the body.
Now advance the fingers of the left hand and seize the bottom part of
the loosened body with the right hand, and by pushing with the
finger-nails, and occasionally using the knife where the tendons hold
the skin, gradually work up the back, turning it round and round, and
working very carefully until the place where the wings have been
previously broken is arrived at. Again lay down the knife, and taking
up the scissors, cut the wing nearest to you away from the skin; do
the same with the other side; and now the only thing which holds skin
and body together is the neck. Taking the whole of the body in the
hand, proceed with the fingers of the other (using no knife) to
gradually cause the skin to leave its attachment at the neck. With
care work over the head by the same means, and here progress is
stopped by the skin being held on either side of the face by a little
membrane; this is the inner skin of the ears.
Regaining the knife, slip the point underneath, and gradually lift
them out, cutting towards the flesh and not towards the skin. This
done, the skin will appear darker, immediately above this point. These
are the eyes; carefully cut on top of them with a very gentle motion,
until they are skinned to where only a very thin membrane hides them
from view; arrived at this, the knife-point must be pushed gently
underneath, and an upward cut made, which, if carefully done, entirely
severs the eyelids from the retaining membrane. The exact point shown
in Fig. 23 is now reached.
Fig. 23--Skin of Bird Turned Ready for Severance from Body
After this sever the skull from the neck at the point where the dotted
lines A--B are shown in the drawing. This exposes the brain without
cutting off too much at the base of the cranium, the shape of which is
wanted for subsequent operations. After the body is completely
severed, proceed to pull the tongue out (unless wanted for show) by
placing the knife on the other aside of it in opposition to the thumb,
give a smart pull, keeping an even pressure on, and the tongue will
come out with little or no difficulty.
Next enlarge the orifice at the back of the head by cutting a
triangular piece out towards the palate or roof of the mouth, scooping
the brains out with the point of the knife, having a small piece of
paper in readiness to receive them. During this operation hold the
beak of the bird through the skin of the neck by the two first
fingers, and thumb, the latter being uppermost, the other fingers
being employed in keeping the remainder of the skin with the feathers
out of harm's way.
Inserting the point of the knife at the back of the eye, place the
thumb on the eyeball and gently pull it out, taking care not to let
the point of the knife cut upward so as to burst the eye, or the
effect will be to liberate the dark-coloured pigment or the vitreous
humour, and thus wet or stain the feathers. Having done all this,
there will still remain some little flesh at the back of the eye and
the junction of the mandibles, and this must be carefully cut away so
as not to dis-articulate the latter. The Preservative Paste now comes
into requisition, and with this the skull and orbits are well painted
inside and out. A little tow, previously chopped by the medium of a
sharp pair of scissors, is now pushed into the empty skull, with the
"stuffing iron," which is a small piece of thick wire (see Fig. 21).
For large birds the tow forceps (see Fig. 20) may be conveniently
used.
Having neatly filled the head with the tow, proceed to put a small
piece of cotton wadding in each orbit. (Note, be careful that tow only
is pushed into the head, as if never so small a piece of wadding gets
into the cavity of the head it will effectually prevent any subsequent
mounting of the specimen, as, singular though it may appear, a small
piece of wadding is more than a match for a pointed wire.)
During all this time the neck must be kept as short and as little
stretched as possible. In some birds a line of fat will be observed
extending from the neck to the back or even to the breast, which must
be as carefully as possible scraped off the skin by using the edge of
the knife, guided by the thumb. Having done this, paint the neck only
with the preservative, and lay the skin on the paper, back upward and
tail from you; the under part of the head in this position points
upward.
Place the thumbs of both hands, their nails touching each other, at
the back of the head with the first two fingers of each hand placed in
this wise: forefingers along the side of the face, second fingers
underneath on the top of the skin of the head; then, by gently pushing
with the thumbs and pulling or scratching, as it were, with the other
fingers, gradually force the head through until the mandibles appear,
as also the eyelids. Let go with the right hand, still keeping the
thumb of the left pressing against the head; and, by gently working
with the two first fingers of the left hand outside the feathers, and
by pulling the beak upward and toward you with the right, the bird is
returned to the position shown in Fig. 22.
As the bird now lies, it is optional whether the flesh is cleaned away
from the root of the tail first or from the legs and wings. I will,
however, in this case take the wing on my right. Place the right hand
underneath, lift the wing as far up into the skin as possible, and by
holding it tightly in that position with the finger and thumb of the
left hand, a ridge of skin becomes visible, running down each side,
and framing in, as it were, a little oval-shaped piece of flesh, i.e.
that lying between the "radius" and "ulna" The broken bone and flesh
of the wing is now toward you. Clean the flesh away from this and then
devote the attention to the before-named oval-shaped piece of flesh.
Putting the point of the knife down on the right, lift and scoop away
(using the greatest care meanwhile) some small pieces of flesh. This
by degrees reveals the top of another little bone, from under which
all the flesh to be seen must be scraped away; anoint this freely with
the preservative, and return it to its normal position after tying a
small piece of strong thread through the loop of the bone (in large
birds a little tow should be placed in the cavity).
If this process is too tedious, or not quite comprehended by the
amateur--i.e. the clearing out of the flesh between the radius and
ulna--the smaller bone of the two--the radius (F, Plate II) may be
twisted or cut out entirely, leaving only the larger bone of the two
to clear of flesh. Sometimes--but this with large birds only--the wing
may be advantageously cut from the outside along its entire length
underneath, the flesh removed, skin dressed, and the cut carefully
sewn up.
Do the same by the other wing, and then push the leg on the same side
up through the skin, pushing the skin down with the fingers and thumb
of the left hand, and pulling with the right, until you have stripped
the skin nearly down to the so-called "knee," q (not the proper knee,
however, that being situated higher up--Plate II), or tibio-tarsal
joint. At this joint a bundle of little "leaders," or muscles,
assemble; cut them away from around the bone (without interfering with
the joint, however), and they will roll up with the flesh to the head
of the bone previously cut off at the proper knee joint, and can there
be easily pulled off. (In practice, it will be found that retaining
the full length of this bone--the tibia--is not desirable for
subsequent operations; it may therefore be advantageously shortened by
one-half.)
Anoint with the preservative and neatly wrap a piece of tow around the
leg-bone (or tibia) to the supposed shape of the flesh previously
removed. Return the leg to its natural position; and repeat the same
on the other side.
The tail is now the only thing left which requires to be freed from
flesh. Keeping the beak still from you, push the tail, with the left
hand, as far up into the body as possible, then clear it of every
particle of flesh by scraping and cutting, taking care to cut away the
oil ducts or glands--usually full of a thick fat--and being careful
also not to cut away the attachment of the roots of the feathers to
the skin; anoint with the preservative, and return. Several little
streaks of fat in various parts of the skin may now be seen, which
must be carefully scraped away.
The wing bones must now be tied nearly together by the pieces of
thread previously attached; the distance between them varies with the
size of the bird's body previously removed (this knowledge is, of
course, gained by experience, but amateurs are recommended to take
careful measurements of this and other analogous points). The whole of
the skin of the back, body, and throat is to be well anointed. Now
take the forceps (see Fig. 20), and form a little neck of tow on it,
introduce it into the skin, leaving the end of the tow resting against
the back of the head. Then insert some larger pieces of tow with the
fingers or tongs into the body, and when you have shaped it as nearly
as possible to the original body of the bird--taking care to nicely
observe the adjustment of the several parts--neatly sew up the skin
with a fine needle and thread by an under stitch on the edges of the
skin, drawing it tight after two or three stitches; and thus proceed
until the bottom is reached, avoiding the common fault of sewing the
feathers in with the stitches.
Some few ends of tow will possibly be protruding from the lower part,
which must be cut off before the final stitch. The bird's legs are
tied one across the other, and the wings pressed close to the body in
the proper position; the neck is also shortened, and a little narrow
band of paper is cut, and placed underneath the bird, brought round
the butts of the wings or shoulders, and pinned together on the top of
the breast; a needle and thread are inserted through the nostrils, the
thread is brought round underneath the bird's lower mandible, and is
tied in a knot to keep the beak closed.
In the course of a week or so, when sufficiently dry, the bandage is
removed, and thus we have what is technically called a "skin."
This is the loose body method of making skins; perhaps a better plan
is making a body--see farther on--on wire, which should not come
through the top of the head, or on a piece of stick (a lucifer match
with the top broken off will do for small skins) coming into the base
of the skull; this gives a great support to the neck, and prevents the
common fault of the skin breaking away just above the shoulders.
If great nicety is desired--and neatness in making a skin is
everything--remember particularly not to overstuff it; it will really
require just about half as much packing as you would at first imagine
sufficient to fill it. Be careful as to the set of the wings, at the
shoulders especially; and after having coaxed every feather with
loving care into its proper position, wrap the whole skin in a sheet
of wadding, leaving the ends open, and put away in a secure place to
dry.
Another method of shaping skins whilst drying is described by Mr.
Batty, the well-known American taxidermist, who makes a drying board
for small skins in the following manner (see Fig. 24): Procure a piece
of board of the length and width you require, on which nail on edge
0.75-inch slips of wood two inches high at intervals required; between
these supports stretch stout cardboard in the form of "gutters." In
these, padded in wadding, the skins rest until dry.
Fig. 24--"Set" or Drying Board for Birds' Skins.
Often blood and other substances clog and spoil the feathers of a
bird; how to remove these will be found explained in the chapter on
Cleaning Birds' Skins.
Fig. 25--Starling Properly Made Into a Skin With Label Attached.
In noting the sex of a bird an important matter, only managed in most
cases by the aid of a little dissection--it will be necessary to cut
the body, after it is out of the skin, through the ribs along the side
close to the back, open it, and look upon the kidneys (dark coloured
masses apparently let into the hollow of the back-bone at the
narrowest part of the body) for the sexual organs.
If a male, there will appear just upon the upper end of the kidneys,
one on each side of the back bone, two little oval-shaped bodies,
usually of a dull white or light yellow tint (do not mistake the
supra-renal capsules--quite yellow, small, and a little higher up--for
these).
If a female, these two small oval bodies will be replaced a little
lower clown by a string or bundle of eggs, very minute in some
seasons, but strongly marked and large in the breeding season. It is
sometimes difficult to tell the sex--in young birds especially; but a
good plan is to get a bird, known by its plumage to be a male--say a
cock sparrow--and a female bird, and dissect out these organs, putting
them in spirits in separate bottles, the organs of each sex attached
to its part of the bone and kidneys, and keep them for reference until
experience teaches the way to readily decide sexes.
A label is attached to the legs, giving scientific and common name of
bird, sex, locality, and date, and name or initials of collector.
Thus:
No. 1. STURNUS VULGARIS, 1. (Starling).
Sex.--Male Juv.
Colour of irides--Dark brown.
Colour of beak--Dark slate.
Colour of legs & toes--Reddish-brown.
Leicester, 21/9/83. Collector, MB.
In the cases of such birds as the hawks, which have bare spaces around
the eyes (sub, and super-ciliary patches) and around the base of the
beak (cere), note down the colours of these parts also. In the cases
of rare birds the measurements of the extreme length from tip of beak
to tail--again from inner edge of gape to vent, the bill and tail
being measured separately from those points--should be carefully
taken, as also the length of culmen, carpus, and tarsus, and set down
in inches and tenths, on the label, or in the note book, when the
matter becomes too voluminous. The reference number and name, in the
latter case, will be sufficient for the label, thus keeping it very
small. In ordinary cases, all information, excepting name, date, and
collector's name, may be written on the back. Part of the label may be
printed ready for filling in.
Another plan of skinning a bird is to work upward instead of downward,
and by raising the skin on top of the breast and throat to approach
the neck, which is then cut off by slipping the point of the scissors
underneath. This gives room for one wing to be loosened, and
ultimately cut off, the other one then easily follows as a matter of
course, and by alternately skinning away the back and the breast, the
legs and the tail are arrived at, which are treated as before
described. This method is useful in cases where the lower extremities
are badly shot or "high," but is otherwise objectionable, as, in any
other but the most careful hands, it is apt to stretch or split any
delicate skin, in the attempt to get the shoulders out, but for which
I should have nothing to say against it. Curiously enough, however, it
is more practised by amateurs than by professionals.
One of the most important, however, of all methods of skinning ever
invented, is that known as skinning from under the wing; it is perhaps
more difficult to a beginner than the other way of skinning, but its
advantages are enormous. Supposing you have a bird very badly shot, or
one with its wing half torn off or ripped underneath, as sometimes
happens, you then, instead of complicating matters by making an
incision in another place, take advantage of the ripped side and cut
it open there.
The birds, however, for which this system is invaluable are sea birds,
or all birds having white or very light coloured breasts. To cut such
birds on the breast practically ruins them, for however well a sea
bird's skin may be cleaned, there still remains some little greasiness
between the roots of the feathers; and in spite of the most careful
sewing, the capillary action of the thread used in stitching up
(aided, of course, by the position of the mounted bird--breast
downward) is sufficient to draw to the surface whatever oily fat or
grease remains in the skin; and though it may not show for a few
months, yet, sooner or later, a rust coloured line of grease appears,
and in spite of all cleaning will reappear, and gradually spread over
the breast, destroying the beauty of perhaps a unique specimen.
To skin a bird from under the wing, select the worst side, or that
injured the most by shot, etc, and laying the bird with that side
uppermost, make an incision from just above the leg to just under the
wing. Push the leg-bone up, and cut it off with a pair of scissors;
then work the skin away a little from the back, and as much as
possible from the breast, gradually working your way until you see the
wing-bone, which cut off. Careful skinning brings you to the neck and
windpipe, which also cut off. The whole of one side of the bird is now
skinned out with the exception of the tail; come downward on the
opposite side to your incision, and across the breast until you can
cut off the remaining wing; having done this, keep skinning downward
until the leg is arrived at, and cut off. Nothing now holds the skin
to the body but the tail-bone, which separate. Clean and finish the
bird in the ordinary way.
I shall now suppose that, instead of making a skin (as previously
described), you desire to stuff the specimen with the ultimate idea of
its forming part of a collection mounted in the same manner as the
birds are mounted in the British Museum--namely, on turned stands as
perches; or, as is usual now, to form a unit of a characteristic group
mounted in a more artistic manner in a shade or a case.
For the purpose of this lesson I have "relaxed" the original starling
we before made into a skin, and shall now mount it, keeping to one
bird, so as not to confuse the learner.
In "setting up" a bird we require to use wires. The sizes of wires are
determined by gauges. Thus the smallest sized wire made is that known
as Gauge 28. This and the two following numbers, 26 and 27, are only
required for the humming birds; 28 is, however, a good size for the
least. 24 will be found a good size for the smaller kinds of warblers
and finches up to canaries. 21 is a useful general size for a great
number of small birds, and will do for such a bird as the hawfinch. 19
is a good size for thrushes and starlings, and will also do very well
for squirrels. 16 is a good useful size for many things--will do for
such birds as the landrail or pigeons. 13 is a good size for such
birds as parrots, and that or the next largest size will do for owls.
12 will do for the larger hawks, such as the peregrine falcon, etc. and
for small dogs. 9 is more suitable for foxes and larger dogs. 7 will
do for eagles. 5, 3, and 1 approach so nearly to bars as to be fit
only for the larger animals.
As a rule, however, practice enables a person to use smaller sized
wires than appears possible to him at first. I would here also
recommend that "galvanised" be used instead of the common "annealed"
wire (never use "hard" wire) for all purposes, excepting for large
animals. Its advantages are very great, as I can personally testify.
If you decide on mounting your bird on a turned stand, you will, if
not possessing a lathe yourself, have to call in the assistance of a
turner, who will, for a small sum, turn the requisite stands, which
may be either in mahogany, boxwood, ebony, or ivory, according to your
taste and the length of your pocket. If, on the contrary, you decide
to ultimately mount your specimen in a case or a shade, you had better
provide yourself with some wire of a suitable strength, and some tow,
which latter you will proceed to wrap round the wire to within a
couple of inches of one end--forming, in fact, an artificial twig,
which you may bend to any shape, riveting the unbound end through a
piece of wood of sufficient weight to balance the bird when set up.
Having, then, before you, as the first indispensable adjunct, the
turned stand or artificial twig (a natural one does in some cases),
the stuffing irons, file, crooked awl, pliers, scissors, wire, tow,
needle and thread, pins, and some fine darning cotton, which is called
"wrapping cotton," you proceed to business thus: The bird being
skinned, all the flesh cleaned out, and well dressed with the
preservative up to the point previously described--leg bones being
wrapped and wings being tied--lay the bird down on a clean piece of
paper.
Having selected the wire of two sizes, of a suitable thickness, the
thinner for the body wire and the other for the leg wires, cut the
three, with the aid of the pliers, a little longer than the body and
legs respectively, pointing each wire at one end with a file--not
rounding the points, but leaving them with cutting edges.
Taking up the thicker or body wire in the right hand and some tow in
the left, commence at about an inch from the point to tightly and
neatly bind on the tow in the shape of the neck, and of nearly the
same length that the neck was before being cut off--that is to say,
making the artificial neck somewhat longer than the neck of the skin
(if properly taken off and not abnormally lengthened) appears to be.
The reason for this is that the natural neck, being carried between
the clavicles forming the furculum or "merry-thought," is bent
downward and forward between them when perching (see Fig. 22); hence
the artificial neck must imitate nature so far as that, when inserted
in the skin, it may be also bent forward and downward, and afterwards
thrown back on the body in a natural position.
Of course, if a bird's neck is to be represented very short, as it
will be in certain attitudes, the artificial neck must be almost, if
not quite, done away with; indeed, the shortening of the neck of the
mounted specimen depends almost entirely on the absence of stuffing
above the shoulders. Be sure, also, not to stuff the skin too wide
about the shoulders; if so, the "butts" of the wings will never come
into place, nor allow the feathers of the breast to be brought over
them in a natural manner.
It is exceedingly difficult to instruct in these niceties of detail;
close observation--note a canary or any song bird at rest--added to
experience, will alone teach the amateur these points. To excel in
mounting animals the arts of drawing and modelling from living
examples must be cultivated; the amateur taxidermist thus gains the
requisite knowledge to help him in his art. [Footnote: It may perhaps,
be necessary to warn the non-scientific that whenever I speak of
animals I include fishes, reptiles, and birds with the mammals.]
Having shaped the neck to your own satisfaction, proceed thence to
form the body, by continuously wrapping the tow round and round the
wire, keeping the shape, however, somewhat flat on the sides, full on
the breast and back, and narrowest at the lower extremity of the body,
where it comes in between the legs to the tail. About an inch of the
wire should now be left unbound, which turn up on the back of the
false body to prevent the tow slipping off; next take some cotton,
which wind all over the false body to keep the tow in its place,
adding, as you go on, small pieces of tow, and binding them on where
depressions or faults appear.
This being finished secundum artem, insert the pointed end of the wire
or false neck up the neck of the specimen, pushing the point of the
wire right through the skull until it comes out at the crown of the
head. Now gradually, by persuasive means, pull the skin over the false
body; and lift the starling up and observe what faults are
apparent--possibly a little difficulty exists at the shoulders, if so,
press them in with the thumbs, and then note if there are any
apparently hollow places; if so, fill them out with a little more tow.
See that the back is nicely sloped, that the breast is full enough,
and especially if it be even and narrow between the legs. Having
observed all these points with great exactness, proceed to nicely sew
up the skin with the stitch previously mentioned.
Then select two other pieces of wire of the right size, and point them
each at one end. (Note.--The wires are generally a size or so stronger
for the legs than for the body.) Taking a wire in the right hand, open
the claws of the bird with the other, so as to expose the sole of the
foot, into which push the point of the wire, forcing it up the leg on
its under side between the skin and the bone--be careful how you pass
under the so-called "knee" joint. Pulling the leg now downward and
upward, that is to say, toward the breast, push the wire right through
the false body to the other side, until it comes out under the wing on
the side farthest from the leg. With a small pair of pliers turn the
point downward, pull the wire at the foot, and it is thus clenched and
firmly fixed; do the same with the other leg.
Remember that if the leg wires are not firmly clenched in the made
body, and are not perfectly stiff and tight, all your labour goes for
nothing. Now bring together the skin at the lower part with your
fingers, and push a small wire through the root of the tail up into
the made body.
Picking the bird up with one hand, bend the legs into their proper
position, bend the neck a little downward and backward on the front,
then forward and downward from the back of the head. Place the leg
wires through two holes bored in the crosspiece of the stand, or
through the natural twig, or wind them round on the false twig and
make them secure. Run a fine pin (entomological pin, No. 2) through
the shafts of the feathers of the tail to cause them to dry in proper
shape, then neatly insert the eyes (putting a small piece of putty in
the orbit previously), bringing the eyelids over with a fine needle,
being exceedingly careful not to rip them, and not to have them too
staring, a very common fault with the amateur. See that the wings are
fixed in their right places with one or more pins or wires.
Place one pin in the centre of the breast and in the middle of the
back (all of these pins must be left half-way out), proceed to nicely
arrange the feathers in their proper places by the aid of the crooked
awl and feather pliers (see Fig. 19). Having done this till it appears
as nearly like the living bird as possible (which constant practice
and close attention alone will enable you to do), take the "wrapping
cotton," and, having made a loop on one end, fix it to the pin on the
back. Bring it across to the pin on one of the wings, and across in a
zig-zag manner to the other pins in the wings, binding down the back
first. Then attend to the breast and under tail coverts, taking care
to bind down more securely than the others those feathers which will
start up (usually the upper wing coverts). A careful binder working
properly will shape his bird by binding. Tie the mandibles if they are
wanted closed, and cut the wire off the head, as it permanently
raffles the feathers if left until the specimen is dry.
This is binding for a closed-winged bird; but for one whose wings are
to be thrown up, say a hawk on flight, the modus operandi is slightly
different; wire stays and card braces now supplement "wrapping"
cotton. The bird being opened on its worst side is stuffed in the
usual manner as far as getting the neck up into the skull, the
attached body is now bolted through near the top of the cut by the
wing, by a long wire sufficiently strong to keep the bird suspended;
this wire, being firmly clenched on the opposite side of the body to
the cut, has its free end, of course, depending from the incision
under the wing.
The next thing to do is to support the wings in the position necessary
to represent flight. For this purpose, point four wires sufficiently
long to extend the wings, and to come through the body to be clenched.
Two of these wires should be of a size thinner than the other two.
Select the wing on the side of the body farthest from the cut, and
enter the point of one of the thickest wires in the wing at the end of
the part called the "metacarpus" (i, Plate II); push it gently along
between the bone and the skin--meanwhile holding the wing with the
left-hand fingers--along the side of or between the "radius and ulna,"
finally pushing it into the body at the shoulder, and clenching it
when it comes through, which it should do under the opposite wing at
the cut. It is often very difficult or impossible to get the wire to
go through the "carpus;" it will suffice, therefore, if, after coming
along the metacarpus, it just misses the carpus and enters the skin
again at the junction of the radius and ulna. If properly managed, the
wire will be snugly hidden in the skin of the wing by the feathers of
the parts along which it has travelled.
Do likewise with the other wing, but this wire often cannot be carried
right through to the opposite side, and must therefore be firmly
secured in the body on its own side; next fix the legs in the manner
before detailed, or, as the bird is to be represented on flight, the
wires need only be entered at the tibia-tarsal joint (q, Plate II).
Push a wire in the tail, and sew up the incision under the wing.
The bird has now its wings, legs, and tail fixed, and the free end of
the supporting wire is sticking out from under the wing. Fix this wire
firmly through the top of a narrow strip of board at such a distance
as to miss the outspread wing; let this board also be long enough to
allow of one end being fixed in a vice or screwed to the edge of a
table, whilst the hawk or other bird clears its surface. The bird
being now "shaped up" a little, take the two thinnest wires and enter
the point of one in each wing at the end of the fleshy part of the
wing (really the bird's middle finger), or through the base of the
first quill, an inch or so from the other wire. This last wire travels
along the outside of the feathers under the wing, and is consequently
not hidden at all when pushed into the body: its use is to curve the
wing upon it into a graceful shape, and when the bird is sufficiently
dry it is pulled out, the first wire at the shoulder being quite
sufficient to bear up the wing when set.
As, however, the wing feathers start up here and there, and do not
readily conform to all the curves of the wires, the wiring and binding
must be supplemented by "braces," which are narrow strips of cardboard
pinned in pairs at intervals below and above the wing, and held in
position by pins running through both braces from the under to the
upper surface. For explanation of this see Plate I (Frontispiece), a
hawk properly "set up" and "bound" to represent it swooping on its
prey.
Putty sometimes greases light-coloured skins around the eyes; it will
be well, therefore, to insert in its stead a little "pipe" or
modelling clay worked up stiff. (Clay will be treated of in a
subsequent chapter. It will be found useful for the faces of some
sea-birds and hawks, and indeed for the greater part of the body and
legs of large birds. The Cassowary in the Leicester Museum has been
worked up largely in this manner.)
Steel pins with black bead heads are first-rate helps to binding. They
are sold in various lengths, and being long, sharp, and fine, quite
supersede ordinary pins.
Audi alteram partem! Let us now take the evidence of Waterton:
"You will observe how beautifully the feathers of a bird are arranged;
one falling over the other in nicest order, and that, where this
charming harmony is interrupted, the defeat, though not noticed by an
ordinary spectator, will appear immediately to the eye of a
naturalist. Thus, a bird not wounded, and in perfect feather, must be
procured, if possible, for the loss of feathers can seldom be made
good; and where the deficiency is great all the skill of the artist
will avail him little in his attempt to conceal the defect; because,
in order to hide it, he must contract the skin, bring down the upper
feathers and shove in the lower ones, which would throw all the
surrounding parts into contortion.
You will also observe that the whole of the skin does not produce
feathers, and that it is very tender where the feathers do not grow.
The bare parts are admirably formed for expansion about the throat and
stomach, and they fit into the different cavities of the body at the
wings, shoulder, rump, and thighs, with wonderful exactness, so that
in stuffing the bird, if you make an even rotund surface of the skin,
where the cavities existed, in lieu of re-forming them, all symmetry,
order, and proportion are lost for ever.
You must lay it down as an absolute rule that the bird is to be
entirely skinned, otherwise you can never succeed in forming a true
and pleasing specimen.
You will allow this to be just, after reflecting a moment on the
nature of the fleshy parts and tendons, which are often left in.
First, they require to be well seasoned with aromatic spices;
secondly, they must be put into the oven to dry; thirdly, the heat of
the fire, and the natural tendency all cured flesh has to shrink and
become hard, render the specimen withered, distorted, and too small;
fourthly, the inside then becomes like a ham or any other dried meat.
Ere long the insects claim it as their own, the feathers begin to drop
off, and you have the hideous spectacle of death in ragged plumage.
Wire is of no manner of use, but, on the contrary, a great nuisance,
for, when it is introduced, a disagreeable stiffness and
disarrangement of symmetry follow.
The head and neck can be placed in any attitude; the body supported,
the wings closed, extended, or elevated; the tail depressed, raised,
or expanded; the thighs set horizontal, or oblique, without any aid
from wire. Cotton will effect all this.
A very small proportion of the skull bone--say from the fore part of
the eyes to the bill--is to be left in, though even this is not
absolutely necessary. Part of the wing bones, the jaw bones, and half
the thigh bones remain. Everything else--flesh, fat, eyes, bones,
brain and tendons--are all to be taken away.
While dissecting, it will be of use to keep in mind that, in taking
off the skin from the body, by means of your fingers and a little
knife, you must try to shove it, in lieu of pulling it, lest you
stretch it.
That you must press as lightly as possible on the bird, and every now
and then take a view of it, to see that the feathers are all right.
That, when you come to the head, you must take care that the body of
the skin rests on your knee; for, if you allow it to dangle from your
hand, its own weight will stretch it too much.
That throughout the whole operation, as fast as you detach the skin
from the body you must put cotton immediately between the body and it,
and this will effectually prevent any fat, blood, or moisture from
coming in contact with the plumage. Here it may be observed that on
the belly you find an inner skin which keeps the bowels in their
place.
By a nice operation with the knife you can cut through the outer skin,
and leave the inner skin whole. Attention to this will render your
work very clean, so that, with a little care in other parts, you may
skin a bird without even soiling your finger ends.
As you can seldom get a bird without shooting it, a line or two on
this head will be necessary. If the bird be still alive, press it hard
with your finger and thumb just behind the wings, and it will soon
expire. Carry it by the legs, and then, the body being reversed, blood
cannot escape down the plumage through the shot holes.
As blood will often have 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 penknife or the leaf
of a tree, carefully remove the clotted blood, and put a little cotton
in the hole. If, after all, the plumage has not escaped the marks of
blood, or if it has imbibed slime from the ground, wash the part in
water without soap, and keep gently agitating the feathers with your
fingers till they are quite dry. Were you to wash them and leave them
to dry by themselves they would have a very mean and shrivelled
appearance.
In the act of skinning a bird you must either have it upon a table or
upon your knee. Probably you will prefer your knee, because, when you
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
foot on the ground, and then your knee will always move in unison with
your body, by which much stooping will be avoided and lassitude
prevented.
With these precautionary hints in mind, we will now proceed to dissect
a bird. Supposing we take a hawk. The little birds will thank us with
a song for his death, for he has oppressed them sorely; and in size he
is just the thing. His skin is also pretty tough and the feathers
adhere to it.
We will put close by us a little bottle of the solution of corrosive
sublimate in alcohol, also a stick like a common knitting needle, and
a handful or two of cotton.
Now fill the mouth and nostrils of the bird with cotton, and place it
upon your knee on its back with its head pointing to your left
shoulder. Take hold of the knife with your two first fingers and
thumb, the edge upwards. You must not keep the point of the knife
perpendicular to the body of the bird, because, were you to hold it
so, you would cut the inner skin of the belly and thus let the bowels
out. To avoid this, let your knife be parallel to the body, and then
you will divide the outer skin with great ease.
Begin on the belly below the breastbone, and cut down the middle quite
to the vent. This done, put the bird in any convenient position, and
separate the skin from the body till you get at the middle joint of
the thigh. Cut it through, and do no more there at present, except
introducing cotton all the way on that side from the vent to the
breastbone. Do exactly the same on the opposite side.
Now place the bird perpendicular, the breast resting on your knee,
with its back towards you. Separate the skin from the body on each
side at the vent, and never mind at present the part from the vent to
the root of the tail. Bend the tail gently down to the back, and while
your fingers and thumb are keeping down the detached parts of the skin
on each side of the vent, cut quite across and deep till you see the
backbone near the oil gland at the root of the tail. Sever the
backbone at the joint, and then all the root of the tail together,
with the oil gland dissected from the body. Apply plenty of cotton.
After this seize the end of the backbone with the finger and thumb,
and now you can hold up the bird clear of your knee and turn it round
and round as occasion requires.
While you are holding it thus, contrive, with the help of your other
hand and knife, by cutting and shoving, to get the skin pushed up till
you come to where the wings join on the body. Forget not to apply
cotton; cut these joints through, add cotton, and gently push the skin
over the head, cut out the roots of the ears, which lie very deep in
the head, and continue skinning till you reach the middle of the eye;
cut the nictating membrane quite through, otherwise you would tear the
orbit of the eye; and after this nothing difficult intervenes to
prevent your arriving at the root of the bill.
When this is effected cut away the body, leaving a little bit of
skull, just as much as will reach to the fore-part of the eye, clean
well the jaw bones, fasten a little cotton at the end of your stick,
dip it into the solution, and touch the skull and corresponding parts
of the skin, as you cannot well get at these places afterwards.
From the time of pushing the skin over the head you are supposed to
have had the bird resting upon your knee. Keep it there still, and
with great caution and tenderness return the head through the inverted
skin, and when you see the beak appearing pull it very gently till the
head comes out unruffled and unstained.
You may now take the cotton out of the mouth. Cut away all the
remaining flesh from the palate, and whatever may have remained at the
under jaw.
Here is now before you the skin without loss of any feathers, and all
the flesh, fat, and unclean bones out of it, except the middle joint
of the wings, one bone of the thighs, and the fleshy root of the tail.
The extreme point of the wing is very small, and has no flesh on it,
comparatively speaking, so that it requires no attention except
touching it with the solution from the outside. Take all the flesh
from the remaining joint of the wing, and tie a thread about four
inches long to the end of it, touch all with the solution, and put the
wing bone back into its place. In baring this bone you must by no
means pull the skin. You would have it to pieces beyond all doubt, for
the ends of the long feathers are attached to the bone itself. You
must push off the skin with your thumb and forefinger. Now skin the
thigh, quite to the bone, cut away all flesh and tendons, and bare the
bone, form an artificial thigh round it with cotton, apply the
solution, and draw back the skin over the artificial thigh; the same
to the other thigh.
Lastly, proceed to the tail, take out the inside of the oil gland,
remove all the remaining flesh from the root till you see the ends of
the tail feathers, give it the solution and replace it. Now take out
all the cotton which you have been putting into the body from time to
time to preserve the feathers from grease and stain.
Place the bird upon your knee, on its back, tie together the two
threads which you had fastened to the ends of the wing joints, leaving
exactly the same space betwixt them as your knowledge of anatomy
informs you existed there when the bird was entire, hold the skin open
with your finger and thumb, and apply the solution to every part of
the inside. Neglect the head and neck at present; they are to receive
it afterwards.
Fill the body moderately with cotton lest the feathers on the belly
should be injured. Whilst you are about the following operation you
must recollect that half of the thigh--or, in other words, one joint
of the thigh bone--has been out away. Now, as this bone never moved
perpendicular to the body, but, on the contrary, in an oblique
direction, of course, as soon as it is cut off, the remaining part of
the thigh and leg, having nothing to support them obliquely, must
naturally fall to their perpendicular; hence the reason why the legs
appear too long. To correct this, take your needle and thread, fasten
the end round the bone inside, and then push the needle through the
skin just opposite to it; look on the outside, and after finding the
needle amongst the feathers, tack up the thigh under the wing with
several strong stitches. This will shorten the thigh and render it
quite capable of supporting the weight of the body without the help of
wire.
This done take out every bit of cotton except the artificial thighs,
and adjust the wing bones (which are connected by the thread) in the
most even manner possible, so that one joint does not appear to be
lower than the other, for unless they are quite equal the wings
themselves will be unequal when you come to put them in their proper
attitude. Here, then, rests the shell of the poor hawk ready to
receive from your skill and judgment, the size, the shape, the
features, and expression it bad ere death and your dissecting hand
brought it to its present still and formless state. The cold hand of
death stamps deep its mark upon the prostrate victim. When the heart
ceases to beat and the blood no longer courses through the veins, the
features collapse, and the whole frame seems to shrink within itself.
If, then, you have formed your idea of the real appearance of the bird
from a dead specimen you will be in error. With this in mind, and at
the same time forming your specimen a trifle larger than life to make
up for what it will lose in drying, you will reproduce a bird that
will please you.
It is now time to introduce the cotton for an artificial body by means
of the little stick like a knitting needle; and without any other aid
or substance than that of this little stick and cotton your own genius
must produce those swellings and cavities, that just proportion, that
elegance and harmony of the whole, so much admired in animated nature,
so little attended to in preserved specimens. After you have
introduced the cotton, sew up the orifice you originally made in the
belly, beginning at the vent. And from time to time, till you arrive
at the last stitch, keep adding a little cotton in order that there
may be no deficiency there. Lastly, dip your stick into the solution
and put it down the throat three or four times in order that every
part may receive it.
When the head and neck are filled with cotton quite to your liking,
close the bill as in nature. A little bit of beeswax at the end of it
will keep the mandibles in their proper place. A needle must be stuck
into the lower mandible perpendicularly.
You will shortly see the use of it. Bring also the feet together by a
pin, and then run a thread through the knees, by which you may draw
them to each other as near as you judge proper. Nothing now remains to
be added but the eyes. With your little stick make a hollow in the
cotton within the orbit, and introduce the glass eyes through the
orbit; adjust the orbit to them as in nature, and that requires no
other fastener.
Your close inspection of the eyes of animals will already have
informed you that the orbit is capable of receiving a much larger body
than that part of the eye which appears within it when in life, so
that were you to proportion your eye to the size the orbit is capable
of receiving it would be far too large. Inattention to this has caused
the eyes of every specimen in the best cabinets of natural history to
be out of all proportion. To prevent this, contract the orbit, by
means of a very small delicate needle and thread, at that part of it
farthest from the beak. This may be done with such nicety that the
stitch cannot be observed, and thus you have the artificial eye in
true proportion.
After this touch the bill, orbits, feet, and former oil-gland at the
root of the tail with the solution, and then you have given to the
hawk everything necessary, except attitude and a proper degree of
elasticity--two qualities very essential.
Procure any common ordinary box, fill one end of it about
three-fourths up to the top with cotton, forming a sloping plane. Make
a moderate hollow in it to receive the bird. Now take the hawk in your
hands, and after putting the wings in order, place it in the cotton
with its legs in a sitting posture. The head will fall down; never
mind. Get a cork and run three pins into the end, just like a
three-legged stool. Place it under the bird's bill, and run the
needle, which you formerly fixed there, into the head of the cork.
This will support the bird's head admirably. If you wish to lengthen
the neck, raise the cork by putting more cotton under it. If the head
is to be brought forward, bring the cork nearer to the end of the box.
If it requires to be set backwards on the shoulders, move back the
cork.
As in drying the back part of the neck will shrink more than the fore
part, and thus throw the beak higher than you wish it to be--putting
you in mind of a star-gazing horse--prevent this fault by tying a
thread to the beak and fastening it to the end of the box with a pin
or needle. If you choose to elevate the wings, do so, and support them
with cotton; and should you wish to have them particularly high, apply
a little stick under each wing, and fasten the ends of them to the
side of the box with a little beeswax.
If you would have the tail expanded, reverse the order of the
feathers, beginning from the two middle ones. When dry, replace them
in their true order, and the tail will preserve for ever the expansion
you have given it. Is the crest to be erect? Move the feathers in a
contrary direction to that in which they lie for a day or two, and it
will never fall down after.
Place the box anywhere in your room out of the influence of the sun,
wind, and fire, for the specimen must dry very slowly if you wish to
reproduce every feature. On this account the solution of corrosive
sublimate is uncommonly serviceable, for, at the same time that it
totally prevents putrefaction, it renders the skin moist and flexible
for many days. While the bird is drying, take it out and replace it in
its position once every day. Then, if you see that any part begins to
shrink into disproportion, you can easily remedy ft.
The small covert feathers of the wings are apt to rise a little,
because the skin will come in contact with the bone which remains in
the wing. Pull gently the part that rises with your finger and thumb
for a day or two; press the feathers down; the skin will adhere no
more to the bone, and they will cease to rise.
Every now and then, touch and re-touch all the different parts of the
feathers, in order to render them distinct and visible, correcting at
the same time any harshness or unnatural risings or sinkings,
flatness, or rotundity. This is putting the last finishing touch to
it.
In three or four days the feet lose their natural elasticity, and the
knees begin to stiffen. When you observe this, it is time to give the
legs any angle you wish, and arrange the toes for a standing position,
or curve them to your finger. If you wish to set the bird on a branch,
bore a little hole under each foot a little way up the leg, and,
having fixed two proportional spikes on the branch, you can in a
moment transfer the bird from your finger to it, and from it to your
finger, at pleasure.
When the bird is quite dry, pull the thread out of the knees, take
away the needle, etc, from under the bill, and all is done.
In lieu of being stiff with wires, the cotton will have given a
considerable elasticity to every part of your bird, so that when
perching on your finger, if you press it down with the other hand, it
will rise again. You need not fear that your hawk will alter, or its
colours fade.
The alcohol has introduced the sublimate into every part and pore of
the skin, quite to the roots of the feathers. Its use is twofold:
First, it, has totally prevented all tendency to putrefaction, and
thus a sound skin has attached itself to the roots of the feathers.
You may take hold of a single one, and from it suspend five times the
weight of the bird; you may jerk it, it will still adhere to the akin,
and, after repeated trials, often break short. Secondly, as no part of
the skin has escaped receiving particles of sublimate contained in the
alcohol, there is not a spot exposed to the depredation of insects;
for they will never venture to attack any substance which has received
corrosive sublimate.
You are aware that corrosive sublimate is the most fatal poison to
insects that is known. It is anti-putrescent, so is alcohol, and they
are both colourless. Of course, they cannot leave a stain behind them.
The spirit penetrates the pores of the skin with wonderful velocity,
deposits invisible parts of the sublimate, and flies off. The
sublimate will not injure the skin, and nothing can detach it from the
part where the alcohol has left it.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
All the feathers require to be touched with the solution in order that
they may be preserved from the depredation of the moth. The surest way
of proceeding is to immerse the bird in the solution of corrosive
sublimate, and then dry it before you begin to dissect it."
(Waterton's "Wanderings in South America.")
On reference to the instructions given previously, and those last
quoted, it will be seen that the two systems are diametrically opposed
to each other. I will, therefore, now point out the objections to a
general use of Waterton's plan.
First, let me premise that I entirely agree with him in his opening
paragraph as to selecting, when practicable, a bird as little damaged
as possible; but I need not remind professionals, or amateurs of some
practice, how seldom these conditions exist, especially in the
instance of birds sent to them for mounting, by people totally
ignorant of the first principles of taxidermy. Where a great number of
feathers are missing, the loss must be repaired by the insertion of
similar feathers placed one by one in position by the aid of strong
paste, in which a little of the corrosive sublimate preparation (see
chapter on Preservatives, ante) or carbolic acid has previously been
stirred. He is also quite right when he insists upon the specimen not
being stuffed as a round ball of feathers, as some tyros are in the
habit of doing, and also when he says that the bird must be well
skinned.
With the next paragraph, as to the uselessness of wire, I totally
disagree, and for this reason, that, although I have myself proved it
possible--having many years ago followed Waterton's instructions--to
mount a bird entirely without wire, still it is at the best but an
amateur's "dodge;" and I can fearlessly assert that it will not stand
the test of work and expediency. It is, in fact, impossible to
dispense with wire, if taxidermy is to be followed as a profession.
As to putting cotton wool between the flesh and the skin, practice
will enable one to do without this. To me it would be a great
nuisance, unless in the case of much grease, of persistent bleeding,
or clots of extravasated blood occurring. All the rest of the
instructions on skinning are sound and practical, except where he
advises the knee to be used instead of a table. A little reflection,
or, better still, a trial, will convince anyone that nothing can
compare in practice with a table or bench for comfortable working.
I do not hold, either, with the total removal of the skull. For
instance, how are you to exhibit the superciliary ridge which gives so
distinctive a character to the very bird Waterton selects--the
hawk--if you cut it away? I have tried both plans, and I
unhesitatingly say that you cannot give character to the heads of the
larger birds if you remove the skull (unless, of course, you choose to
model it up in clay, etc, as in the heads of mammals), though I agree
that you must free the skin from all its surroundings. I have at the
present moment several birds (set up by a man in the West of England),
in which the skulls have been removed; the skin has shrunk in at the
back of the head and at the mandibles; and in one instance--an
osprey--the bird has entirely lost its nobility and eagle-like
appearance by the removal of the ridge above the eye.
I cannot urge the advisability of making the body larger to allow for
shrinking, inasmuch as in the case of certain birds--notably
gulls--which should present an even' surface on the breast, the
opposite effect will be produced if the false body is unduly large, as
then, in place of the evenness so desirable, a division will appear in
the centre of the body, which entirely mars the beautiful symmetry of
the sea-bird's breast. No perceptible shrinkage can, however, occur if
the body is properly made and packed; and here is shown the vast
superiority of the made body of well-wrapped tow over that made of
loose cotton inserted in the skin, bit by bit.
The eyes I prefer to insert in the larger birds after the specimen is
dry, as then any little fault in the shape of the head is easily
rectified through the orbit, the eyelid, of course, being previously
relaxed (with cotton wool dipped in warm water) to do this and to
receive the artificial eye.
Waterton's method of setting up birds may be dismissed in a few words;
it is impracticable for anyone but an amateur who has unlimited time
at his disposal, and who does not object to spend about a couple of
days over one specimen, and who has also ample room for the large
collection of different-sized boxes he must accumulate.
In using the corrosive sublimate the student will do well to carefully
read the chapter on Preservatives, and then make up his mind. I may
here mention, however, that I should not advise anyone to work on a
bird previously saturated with a solution of corrosive sublimate.
It has been said, De mortuis nil nisi bonum; but, while fully
acknowledging the force of the remark, as also the great scientific
attainments and love for natural history which distinguished the
illustrious traveller, I cannot allow anyone who reads his
entertaining works to be misled into wasting time in an unprofitable
manner.
Another way of setting up a bird may be described as follows: Provide
yourself with four wires--two of which are for the legs, a long one
for the body, and a shorter one for the wings; let us suppose we have
another starling in front of us. For this bird take a suitable piece
of wire about three inches long (pointed at both ends), and bend it
down at each end for the distance of an inch, which of course leaves
one inch in the middle at a right angle to each end; this is called
the wing-bearer. Then place a little piece of tow inside the skin to
fit along the back, and on to the top of this lay the wing-bearer,
pushing the pointed ends down and into the hollows of the wing-bones
(which must be left nearly their full length to admit of this).
Next take the body wire, also sharpened at both ends, and a little
longer than you require, and at a sufficient distance from one end
form with the pliers a loop similar to Fig. 1, so that it comes about
the centre of the projected body; one end will thus be much longer
from the loop than the other. Run one end (the longest) right up the
body to come out at the crown of the head (the head itself being
previously stuffed), push it through a sufficient distance, so that
the looped end falls within the incision of the skin; so soon as it is
passed inside pull the looped end down, and push its point through the
root of the tail; the loop should now, if accurately calculated, come
just in the centre of the body incision.
Pack underneath the wire at all points with little pieces of finely
cut tow, not forgetting the neck. The wire should now be protected
from touching the bird on its underside. Now take the leg wires, point
them and pass them up the legs as before described; when they appear
within the skin by the side of the legs, push the ends of each one
through the little loop on the body wire, and by the aid of the small
pliers and your finger and thumb twist them tightly up or down the
main wire. If properly done, the bird should be capable of being
lifted by one leg wire and should feel perfectly stiff and firm.
Proceed by the addition of cut tow to gradually form the body, which,
when arranged to your liking, sew up.
This, in contradistinction to the other method, is called the soft
body, and is not a plan which I at all recommend. Sometimes a cork is
pushed on at the main or body wire to act in the place of the loop;
the leg wires are then pushed through and clenched on the other side,
and the skin is filled with cut tow as before.
Another system of forming an artificial body for a bird is by means of
"peat." [Footnote: "Peat" is compressed vegetable fibre cut from old
bogs, and is sold by the dealers, in dried cakes about 1 foot long by
6 inches by 2 inches.] Having provided yourself with one of these
bricks of peat, you cut it with a sharp knife to as near the shape
required as possible, having the natural body before you as a guide,
finally inserting it in the bird.
My objection to the use of peat for this purpose is, first, the dust
and dirt caused by the waste pieces; and, secondly, the fact that
birds mounted on this system have a tendency to look "wooden," as,
unlike a body formed of tow, that made of peat is stiff and
unyielding, and, therefore, after it is once in the skin, it cannot be
pressed into shape where defects appear, and is of course not so
easily altered. After a long and patient trial of the peat body, I
have become convinced of its many disadvantages, and have of late
years returned to my first plan--the body made of well wrapped
tow--nor do I think anything will compare with it, for the reasons
above stated. Peat in the case of very large birds (ostriches, etc.)
and mammals is useful, but for the ordinary run of birds I decidedly
veto its application.
Birds with larger heads than necks, such as ducks, etc, must be treated
in one of three ways. First, after skinning out the body, and cutting
off the neck from the inside, cut with the strong scissors a
triangular piece away from the base of the skull, from which extract
the brain, and then compress the sides of the face (mandibles) between
your finger and thumb from the outside, at the same time endeavouring
to "slip" the head (now somewhat elastic by the removal of the base of
the skull) through the neck.
Do this whenever possible; but for those birds whose mandibles resist
any amount of moderate pressure, of which the larger ducks,
woodpeckers, etc, are examples, the second plan must be adopted, which
is to cut (after the removal of the body) on the crest of the head of
a specimen--if a crested bird--or along the sides of the face if
failing in this particular; the head may then be carefully skinned,
leaving it attached as much as before directed, brains cleared out,
eyes extracted, etc, then painted with the preservative, head nicely
stuffed with chopped tow, and returned in the skin, and finally very
neatly sewn up. If this latter operation be well performed, and
especially if the stitches are drawn tight, the seam ought not to
show.
A more tedious method is to extract the brain and eyes through the
roof of the mouth, or from the back of the head (after the neck has
been cut off), but neither of these plans will bear comparison with
"slipping," or with cutting on the crest, or by the side of the head,
as by these latter methods you do not miss any flesh by the sides of
the face in skinning out.
Let me give an instance. In the eider duck, the flesh of the face is
protracted along the sides of the bill; if, therefore, you fail to
open on the crown, or by the side of the face, you must of necessity
miss these, or have ten times more trouble in feeling your way to it.
If the processes by the side of the face are entirely missed, the
consequences are an unsightly and inartistic shrivelling; it is as
well, therefore, to make a note of all birds having such a
peculiarity.
Amongst the birds which may be instanced as having heads too large to
pass the neck in the usual manner, we may place the whole of the
ducks, geese, and swans, though the heads of the herons and divers,
which appear to be as large and yet have as small necks as the former
birds, pass easily. Again, the head of the great or crested grebe
passes, while that of the little grebe sticks. Of the three
woodpeckers found in Britain, the heads of the great-spotted and
lesser-spotted will not pass the neck, but the head of the other, the
green woodpecker, the largest looking of the three, will pass if care
be taken. These things being noted and borne in mind will save the
tyro a considerable amount of trouble.
In concluding this chapter, let it be noted as an unalterable
doctrine, that no white-breasted birds, sea birds especially, are,
under any pretence whatever, to be cut on their breasts. How many
birds pass through the hands of the professional, spoiled by a neglect
or ignorance of this rule, it would be impossible to say, nor are
amateurs the only offenders in this particular. Grebes, etc, which have
wings hardly sufficient to hide the cut beneath, can be cut on the
back, between the wings, and skinned out that way; and if the breast
is, as it should be, fronted for the "showpiece," the effect, if
skilfully done, is very fine.
I have lately given a great deal of attention to this method of
skinning from the back, having found it necessary in mounting young
birds which otherwise showed an unsightly cut on their naked breasts.
I found that the modelling was much truer and more effective by this
method, and therefore extended it to mature specimens with the result
that I now think no birds, excepting the very largest, perhaps, should
ever be opened on the breast. I am quite convinced that if a person of
any experience makes up his mind never to skin a bird by any other way
than by the side or back, he will have no reason to ever regret his
decision. Should a bird be required for flight, undoubtedly the proper
place to cut it is under the side; the suspending wire then comes
along the off side and is hidden by the wing. If the wings are to be
raised and the breast or side shown, cut it on the back; if closed
wings, the same; in either case the cut is perfectly hidden, and is
where it should be, out of the way of grease.
Perhaps it may be as well to state here that--contrary to my usual
custom of working from the lowest to the highest animal form--I have
written upon birds out of their proper natural order; the reason being
that birds are always selected because of easiness of treatment for
the student's first lessons in taxidermy, before his teacher allows
him to "try his 'prentice hand" on the more difficult branches of the
art.