Wanderings in South America, the north-west of the United States and the Antilles, 1812, 1816, 1820 and 1824, with instructions for the perfect preservation of birds, etc., for cabinets of natural history / by Charles Waterton, Esq.

  • Waterton, Charles, 1782-1865.
Date:
1825
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Wanderings in South America, the north-west of the United States and the Antilles, 1812, 1816, 1820 and 1824, with instructions for the perfect preservation of birds, etc., for cabinets of natural history / by Charles Waterton, Esq. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by Royal College of Physicians, London. The original may be consulted at Royal College of Physicians, London.

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    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 end of them to the side of the box with a little bees’ wax. 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 any where in your room, out of the in- fluence of the sun, wind, and fire ; for the specimen must dry very slowly, if you Avish 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 it. 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. 2 T Pbesekvino