Lay the fowl, back downwards, on the board, thread the trussing needle with fine string, for skewers are now but little used, push the thighs of the bird as far back towards the wings as possible, and put the needle in just between the two joints of the legs and thigh, and right out the other side through the opposite joints. Leave an end of string hanging out from the place where the needle entered.

Turn the fowl over, and carry the needle and string back between the two bones of the wings, folding the ends of the pinions back under the back of the bird and drawing the flap of neck skin down under them. Take a stitch through these under-points of the wings and skin, and as by now the string will have again come out close to where it was first passed through, the needle can be unthreaded and the two ends of string drawn fairly tight and tied in a bow.

If the string is pulled too tight the bird will not lie flat on the dish.

Next, the legs must be secured. Hold the bird in the left hand, breast downwards, pass the needle and string up through the back, close to the thigh bones, holding the legs of the birds close together under the point of the breast-bone, turn the bird over, still holding the legs together, bring the string out over one leg, then push the needle through the point of the breast, carry the string over the other leg and down to where it was first inserted, unthread the needle, pull the ends of string as tight as required, and tie them in a bow.

The bird is then trussed ready. See if it again requires singeing, and dust it with flour.

If desired, the carefully cleaned liver and emptied and washed gizzard can be tucked into the wings of the bird, small cuts being made in the skin between the point of the wings before turning them under. This, however, is often not done nowadays, as the liver is used for savouries, and the gizzard, which is generally left uneaten, goes to flavour the stockpot.