Now settle down to the fascinating task of adjusting the feather tracts, nicely manipulating the plumage, in places feather by feather, until characteristic markings of the species are brought out in their normal position as though the bird had just ruffled and then allowed the feathers to settle back softly. Jewelers' tweezers are the finest thing to be had for this work.
Return to the head. Pull the nape cord taut and tie it to neck-wire in roof of mouth. Cut off the wire within the mouth so that the mandibles close naturally. Tie the bill shut with cord or thread. It is necessary in many specimens to thread the cord through the nostrils to accomplish this.
To set the eyes, wipe a drop of liquid glue into the cotton of the eye sockets and inside the lids, using a bit of wire for the purpose. Set the eyes with regard to expression to suit the position, picking the lids over their edges with needle and tweezers.
Pin, or tie with thread, the toes to grasp the perch.
Cut two pieces of thin cardboard for the tail. Curve them slightly. Place one over and one under the long quills just clear of the coverts and pin them through in two or three places to hold the quills even until dry.
In mounting a specimen with spread wings, card the flight feathers full length with curved strips, same as tail, then run a long sharpened wire into the body under each wing and lay a loose bunch of cotton over it, under the quills, to raise them and hold in proper position until dry.
To wrap the body feathers for keeping place until dry, stick two or three long pins in back and breast, along center of both. These hold the light wrapping of thread from slipping out of place as it goes on. Lay the thread around the specimen lightly. If the wings do not set right without other aid than the wire already in them, pin them with sharpened wires, one through the double bone just forward of the wrist and one through close forward of the elbow, running wires firmly into the body. (For general details see [Fig. 11].)
Fig. 11.