Stránka:book 1922.djvu/305

Natural History 275 finished, wrap it in a damp cloth and put it in a close tin box. This will keep it from getting dry. In skinning large birds, a strong hook, attached to a string from the wall in front and above, is a great help. As soon as the tail is cut off stick this hook into the bony pelvis. It holds the bird away from you and answers as a third hand. Finally, make a little shroud out of a sheet of cotton and wrap the bird in this before setting it to dry. Cross the legs as in Fig. 7, and attach a label to these, giving date, sex and place where the bird was taken. The work is now done. But it is wise to lift the skin the next morning and see if all goes well. In a few days it will be dry and safe from ordinary corruption, but must be protected from moth and insects. This is a museum skin. It can be kept indefinitely in this shape, or at any time it can be softened up and mounted. MOUNTING THE BIRD For mounting the bird some additional tools and mate- rials are needed, namely: A pair of wire cutters. A pair of pliers. A file, Some glass eyes, Some annealed or soft iron wire of several sizes, Some tow, and a ball of stout packthread with needle to match. A few ordinary carpenter tools are needed to make the stand, but that is another department. The first part of the mounting is the skinning carried out exactly as in making the skin, up to the point where the cotton is put in. Now there is a difference. You