file which includes the original illustrations4 ,see #bcbei-;h4htm or #bcbei-;h4zip3 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/dirs_/#b_/ c_/b_/e_/bcbei_/bcbei-;h_/#bcbei-;h4htm7 or 7https3_/_/www4gutenberg4org_/dirs_/#b_/ c_/b_/e_/bcbei_/bcbei-;h4zip7 ,transcriber's ,note3 ,text in italics is indicated with underscores1 e4g41 italic4 ,text in bold is indicated with pound signs1 e4g41 bold4 ,,home ,,taxidermy ,,for ,,pleasure ,,and ,,profit ,a ,guide for those who wish to prepare and mount animals1 birds1 fish1 reptiles1 etc41 for home1 den1 or office decoration by ,,albert ,b4 ,,farnham1 ,taxidermist ,illustration3 ,,whoo ,,said ,,wise ,,old ,,owl4 ,published by ,a4 ,r4 ,harding1 ,publisher ,columbus1 ,ohio ,copyright1 #aidd ,by ,a4 ,r4 ,harding ,pub4 ,co4 ,illustration3 ,,albert ,b4 ,,farnham1 ,author ,,contents ,,chapter4 ,,page4 ,,introductory #ac ,i4 ,,history ,,of ,,the ,,art #ag ,,ii4 ,,outfit--,,tools ,,and ,,materials #ba ,,iii4 ,,preservative ,,preparations1 ,,formula1 ,,etc4 #ch ,,iv4 ,,panels1 ,,shields ,,and ,,natural ,,and ,,artificial ,,mounts #dh ,v4 ,,field ,,work1 ,,collecting #ei ,,vi4 ,,skinning ,,and ,,preserving ,,skins #fd ,,vii4 ,,making ,,scientific ,,skins #gg ,,viii4 ,,preparing ,,dry ,,and ,,wet ,,skins ,,for ,,mounting #hd ,,ix4 ,,mounting ,,small ,,and ,,medium ,,birds #hg ,x4 ,,mounting ,,large ,,birds #ih ,,xi4 ,,tanning1 ,,cleaning1 ,,and ,,poisoning ,,skins #ajb ,,xii4 ,,making ,,animal ,,fur ,,rugs #aaj ,,xiii4 ,,fur ,,robes ,,and ,,how ,,to ,,make ,,them #abc ,,xiv4 ,,mounting ,,entire ,,small ,,animals #aca ,,xv4 ,,mounting ,,large ,,animals #ada ,,xvi4 ,,mounting ,,heads ,,of ,,small ,,animals1 ,,birds ,,and ,,fish #aea ,,xvii4 ,,mounting ,,heads ,,of ,,large ,,game #aee ,,xviii4 ,,mounting ,,horns ,,and ,,antlers #afe ,,xix4 ,,mounting ,,feet ,,and ,,hoofs #agc ,,xx4 ,,mounting ,,fish #agh ,,xxi4 ,,mounting ,,fish--,,baumgartel ,,method #ahe ,,xxii4 ,,mounting ,,reptiles1 ,,frogs ,,and ,,toads #bjc ,,xxiii4 ,,skulls ,,and ,,skeletons #bjf ,,xxiv4 ,,sportsmen',s ,,trophies #baa ,,xxv4 ,,odds ,,and ,,ends1 ,,taxidermy ,,novelties #baf ,,xxvi4 ,,groups ,,and ,,grouping #bba ,,xxvii4 ,,animal ,,anatomy #bbd ,,xxviii4 ,,casting ,,and ,,modelling #bbg ,,xxix4 ,,market ,,trophy ,,hunting #bcc ,,xxx4 ,,collecting ,,and ,,mounting ,,for ,,sale #bch ,,xxxi4 ,,prices ,,for ,,work #bda ,list of ,illustrations ,page4 ,whoo8 ,said ,wise ,old ,owl ,frontispiece ,a ,specimen of the ,early ,day #ah ,work ,table1 ,supplies1 ,tools1 ,etc4 #bb ,home ,made ,tools #bd ,taxidermists ,tools #bg ,taxidermists ,tools--,scalpels1 ,scissors1 ,stuffers #bh ,egg ,drill and ,other ,tools #bi ,glass ,eyes for ,animals1 ,birds1 ,fish #ca ,sizes of ,glass ,eyes #cc ,sizes of ,glass ,eyes 7,style #a7 #cd ,shields--,various ,kinds and ,sizes #di ,shields1 ,foot and ,hall ,rack #ej ,gun ,rack1 ,fish and ,game ,panels1 ,hall ,rack #ea ,some ,shields and ,panels #eb ,home ,made ,shield #ed ,small ,bird #ee ,marbles ,shot ,gun and ,rifle ,combined #fj ,the ,stop ,thief or ,choke ,trap #fa ,outline of ,muskrat #fe ,skinning ,small ,animal for ,mounting #ff ,skinning ,large ,animal for ,mounting #fi ,skinning ,bird--,breast ,cut #gj ,hooded ,merganser #ga ,opening ,cut on ,bird #gc ,scientific ,skins1 ,small ,animals and ,birds #hj ,foot ,skinned ,out #hf ,clinching ,leg ,wires in ,artificial ,bird ,body #hh ,wire ,loop for ,bird ,body #hi ,wiring ,leg of ,bird #ij ,bird ,wired #ib ,bird ,wound ,with ,thread #ie ,pose or ,position of ,certain ,birds #if ,natural ,standing ,position of ,small ,bird #ig ,fluttering ,position of ,small ,birds #ig ,a ,bird of ,prey--,limb ,position #ih ,spreading ,tail of ,large ,birds #ii ,eagle--,wings ,braced up to ,dry #ajj ,fleshing ,knife #ajb ,bench ,beam #ajc ,adjustable ,beam #ajc ,paper ,head ,forms--,fox #aaa ,paper ,head ,form--,dog ,closed ,mouth #aab ,foundation for ,tow and ,excelsior #aac ,sewing up ,bullet ,hole #aad ,pinked ,lining1 ,briar ,stitched #aah ,sewing ,trimming on ,rug #aah ,coyote ,rug1 ,open ,mouth #aba ,coon ,skin ,marked to ,cut for ,robe #abe ,strong ,hide 7,cattle7 ,laprobe #abf ,eight ,skin ,coyote ,laprobe #abg ,patagonian ,robe of ,guanaco ,skins #abi ,muskrat ,legs ,wrapped ,ready to ,clay #acb ,wiring for ,small ,animals #acc ,opossum ,mounted in ,walking ,position #acg ,cat ,sitting and ,watching #aci ,frame for ,bear ,manikin #adc ,bolting ,leg ,rods to ,stand #ade ,fastening ,rods to ,back ,board #adi ,wild ,cat ,head ,mounted on ,shield #aea ,fox ,head on ,neck ,standard #aeb ,leopard ,head1 ,artificial #aec ,hawk ,head #aec ,sheep ,head #aee ,skinning ,horned ,heads #aef ,horned ,heads--,antelope1 ,deer #aeg ,deer ,skull on ,standard #aeh ,neck ,board #aei ,paper ,head and ,ear ,forms #afa ,finished ,head--,author's ,work #afb ,elk and ,deer ,head ,paper ,forms #afc ,bolting ,shed ,antlers to ,block #afh ,shed ,elk ,antlers to be ,mounted #afi ,a ,good ,shield ,pattern #aga ,deer ,antlers1 ,elk ,feet1 ,bison ,horns #agb ,wooden ,crook for ,deer ,foot #agc ,skinned ,deer ,foot #agd ,deer ,foot ,ink ,well #agd ,deer ,foot ,thermometer #age ,deer ,foot ,hat ,rack #agf ,moose ,foot ,jewel ,case #agg ,plaster ,mould of ,fish--,upper ,half #agi ,medallion ,fish #ahb ,grayling--,results of ,first ,fish ,mounting #ahh ,eye of ,lake ,trout #aia ,fish in ,mould #aia ,fish in ,mould--,end ,view #aib ,fish in ,mould--,side ,view #aib ,fish--,incisions to be ,made #aic ,fish--,inside ,board #aif ,fish--,sewing up the ,skin #aih ,home ,made ,panel for ,fish #bja ,fish ,head ,mounted--,side ,view #bja ,fish ,head ,mounted--,front ,view #bjb ,wiring ,system for ,frog #bjd ,skulls--,wolf1 ,lynx1 ,otter1 ,mink #bjg ,flying ,duck #bab ,timber ,wolf ,rug1 ,full ,head #bac ,deer ,head ,hall ,rack #bad ,foot ,muff ,trimmed #bah ,monkey ,card ,receiver #bai ,squirrels--,grey1 ,red1 ,flying1 ,ground #bbb ,water ,fowl ,head #bbf ,three ,piece ,mould of ,head #bbi ,making ,mould for ,half ,head #bca ,deer ,foot ,ink ,well and ,pen ,rack #bcc ,mountain ,lion or ,puma ,hide #bcd ,spring ,lamb8 ,coon ,head #bcf ,book ,case ,ornaments--,crow1 ,alligator1 ,owl #bci ,,introduction ,this volume of the ,pleasure and ,profit ,library is offered to the hunter1 trapper1 fisher1 vacationist and out of doors people in general4 ,in the study and practice of taxidermy for several years ,i have failed to find any work written primarily for these every day nature lovers1 though they probably handle a greater number of interesting specimens of animal life than all other classes of people4 ,in view of this fact the following directions and suggestions for preserving various animal forms as objects of use and ornament have been prepared4 ,as a treatise for the scientist or museum preparator it is not intended1 there are many books on the art expressly for them1 but we hope it may fill a place of its own1 acting as a not too dry and technical introduction to the art preservative for those who find life all too short for the many things which are to be done4 ,thoroughness1 patience1 and some love for nature1 are qualities highly desirable in this art4 ,work prepared by one possessing these qualities need not be ashamed and practice will bring skill and perfection of technic4 ,as a handicraft in which the workman has not been displaced or made secondary by a machine taxidermy is noticeable also1 and for many reasons is worthy of its corner in the home work-shop4 ,in this work also the ladies can take a very effective hand1 and numbers have done so2 for there is no doubt that a woman's taste and lightness of touch enables her in some branches of taxidermy to far exceed the average man4 ,especially in the manipulation of frail skins and delicate feathers1 in bird taxidermy1 is this so4 ,i have endeavored to give preference to short cuts and time-saving methods where possible in the following matter1 and especially hints on saving interesting and valuable specimens temporarily until sufficient leisure is had to do justice to their further preservation4 ,in this connection ,i have given prominence to the liquid preservative for entire specimens and the methods for preserving skins of birds and animals in a damp and relaxed state ready for mounting at the operator's pleasure4 ,i would urge the beginner especially1 to mount all his specimens as far as possible4 ,dry scientific skins have their value1 perhaps1 to the museum or closet naturalist whose chief delight is in multiplying species1 but a well mounted skin is a pleasure to all who may see it4 ,making it a rule to utilize thus all specimens which come to hand would also deter much thoughtless killing in the ranks of the country's already depleted wild life4 ,make this a rule and you will avoid friction and show yourself truly a conservationist with the best4 ,in a number of states there are legal restrictions in the way of a license tax imposed on the professional taxidermist4 ,detailed information of these are found in ,game1 ,fur and ,fish ,laws of the various states and ,canadian provinces4 ,fur and game animals and birds killed legally during open season may be preserved by the taker for private possession without hindrance anywhere1 ,i think4 ,more explicit details may be had on application to your state fish and game commissioner or warden4 ,signature3 ,albert ,b4 ,farnham4 ,home ,taxidermy for ,pleasure and ,profit ,,chapter ,i4 ,,history4 ,it is very evident that this art--,taxidermy1 preservation or care of skins--had its origin far back before the dawn of written history4 ,there existed then as now the desire to preserve the trophy of the hunter's prowess and skill and the unusual in natural objects4 ,as far back as five centuries ,b4 ,c4 in the record of the ,african explorations of ,hanno the ,carthaginian1 an account is given of the discovery of what was evidently the gorilla and the subsequent preservation of their skins1 which were1 on the return of the voyagers1 hung in the temple of ,astarte1 where they remained until the taking of ,carthage in the year #adf ,b4 ,c4 ,this1 of course1 was not the art as we know it now1 but shows the beginnings of what might be called the museum idea4 ,the art of embalming as practiced by the ancient ,egyptians was1 however1 effective1 not for the purpose of having the specimens look natural1 or for exhibition1 but to satisfy the superstition of the times1 and though a preservative art1 hardly to be classed with taxidermy4 ,in the tombs of that period are found besides the mummies of human beings1 countless others of dogs1 cats1 monkeys1 birds1 sheep and oxen4 ,there have been a number of efforts made to substitute some form of embalming for present day taxidermy but without much success1 for though the body of the specimen may be preserved from decay without removing it from the skin1 the subsequent shrinkage and distortion spoil any effect which may have been achieved4 ,illustration3 ,,an ,,early ,,day ,,specimen4 ,the first attempt at stuffing and mounting birds was said to have been made in ,amsterdam in the beginning of the #afth century4 ,the oldest museum specimen in existence1 as far as ,i know1 is a rhinoceros in the ,royal ,museum of ,vertebrates in ,florence1 ,italy1 said to have been originally mounted in the #afth century4 ,probably on account of the necessary knowledge of preservative chemicals1 the art seems to have been in the hands of chemists and astrologers1 chiefly1 during the middle ages1 and stuffed animals such as bats1 crocodiles1 frogs1 snakes1 lizards1 owls1 etc41 figure in literary descriptions of their abodes4 ,then as now also1 the dining halls of the nobles and wealthy were decorated with heads and horns procured in the hunt4 ,the first publications on the art seem to have been made in ,france1 in which country and ,germany1 many still used methods and formulas originated4 ,though the first volume of instruction in taxidermy was published in the ,united ,states as late as #ahfe1 it has been left for the study and ingenuity of ,american taxidermists to accomplish what is probably work of as high a standard as any in the world4 ,the ,ward establishment at ,rochester has turned out many well trained taxidermists1 the large museums of the ,united ,states are filled with some of the best work of the kind in existence1 besides many persons who have engaged in it for commercial purposes or to gratify private tastes4 ,many of these have made public their methods and modes in various publications4 ,among these are the works of ,batty1 ,hornaday1 ,shofeldt1 ,davie1 ,rowley1 ,maynard1 ,reed and others1 all of which are invaluable books of reference for the home taxidermist4 ,it is to be regretted that the once flourishing ,society of ,american ,taxidermists has not been perpetuated1 numbering1 as it did1 among its membership the best artists in their line in this country4 ,there is no royal road to success in this1 more than any other of the arts and sciences1 though ,i believe the ambitious beginner will find the way smoother2 better materials are to be had1 more helpful publications to be consulted and the lessening supply of wild life tends to make a more appreciative public than ever before4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,outfit--,,tools ,,and ,,materials4 ,the extent and variety of work undertaken will determine the necessary working space and the assortment of tools needful4 ,other things being equal1 the most complete assortment of tools and supplies makes possible the production of the best work in the minimum time4 ,the equipment of the beginner need be but small and inexpensive1 however1 increasing the same as he discovers what is most necessary and desirable1 in an increasing field of work4 ,wonderful pieces of taxidermy have been done with a pocket knife1 pliers1 needle and thread1 some wire1 tow and arsenic4 ,if no other room offers1 much may be achieved 7with the permission of the lady of the house7 in a corner of a dining room or kitchen4 ,a room or part of one well lighted1 by north window or sky-light preferably1 makes the best location for the work table4 ,this table may be of the common unpainted kitchen variety for all small work4 ,it is well to make the top double by hinging on two leaves1 which when extended will make it twice its usual width4 ,when so extended and supported by swinging brackets it is specially adapted to sewing on rugs and robes4 ,such tables usually have one or two shallow drawers which are most useful to hold small tools4 ,a shelf should be fitted between the legs1 six or eight inches from the floor1 forming a handy place for boxes of materials1 books1 etc4 ,illustration3 ,,work ,,table-,,supplies ,,on ,,lower ,,shelf1 ,,tools1 ,,etc4 ,,on ,,wall4 ,if large work is in prospect a table should be built of the usual heighth1 two or three feet wide1 and six long4 ,the legs of stout scantlings should be fitted with casters1 making it easy to remove it to the center of the room where it can be approached on all sides1 as will often be necessary4 ,the double top1 drawers1 and shelf should be a part of the larger table also4 ,usually the table is kept in front of the window with tool racks and shelves for small articles each side of the same where they can easily be reached4 ,for preparing and mounting all small and medium size specimens ,i would advise the following list of tools4 ,they will enable the worker to care for any of our native birds1 quadrupeds up to the coyote1 and any of our game heads1 fur rugs1 etc4 #a small skinning knife #a medium skinning knife #a larger skinning knife #a pair scissors1 fine points #a pair shears1 heavy1 short #b pairs flat nose pliers1 large and small4 #a pair side or end cutters ,illustration3 ,,home ,,made ,,tools4 7#a7 ,skin ,scraper 7made from screw driver7 7#b7 7#c7 7#d7 ,modeling ,tools 7wood and brass7 7#e7 ,setting ,needle4 7#f7 7#g7 ,stuffers 7heavy wire47 #a pair fine forceps1 #e or #f inch #b flat files1 large and small #a adjustable tool handle1 assorted tools1 awls4 #b pinking irons1 #c_/d and #a-a_/b inch ,needles1 assortment of cloth and glovers ,oilstone ,if it is capable of taking and holding a good edge the small blade of a pocket knife is equal to a surgeon's scalpel and a sharp shoe or paring knife1 ground to the proper shape1 is a nice medium size for skinning or trimming skins4 ,a hunting or butcher knife is sufficient for the largest size4 ,a few carpenter's tools are necessary and a complete set does not come amiss if much large work is attempted4 ,we must have3 ,handsaw ,hatchet ,hammer ,bit brace ,assortment1 drills and bits1 #a_/b in4 and less4 ,drawshave ,screwdriver ,small grindstone or corundum wheel ,chisels1 two or three sizes #a wood rasp #a cabinet rasp #a chopping block1 made of a section of hardwood log ,if large animals are to be mounted we will need in addition some iron working tools1 such as ,set of taps and dies #a_/d to #a in4 ,monkey wrench ,hack saw ,tanner's knives1 #a or more ,a combination vise and anvil will be needed in any case as well as some miscellaneous tools3 ,fur comb1 coarse and fine combined ,paint1 wax1 and varnish brushes ,foot rule ,tape measure ,putty knife ,pointing trowel ,skin scraper and some stuffing and modelling tools which you can make yourself4 ,the list of materials seems like a long one1 but many are inexpensive and others are used only in some small amounts1 so the aggregate cost is small4 ,excelsior ,fine tow ,cotton bat or wadding ,plaster paris ,corn meal ,gasoline ,potter's or modelling clay ,set tube oil colors ,glass eyes1 assorted ,soft wire1 assorted ,pins ,cord ,spool cotton1 coarse and fine1 black and white ,wax1 varnish1 glue1 paste ,papier mache1 or paper for same ,an assortment of nails1 tacks1 brads1 screws1 screw eyes and staples ,illustration3 ,,taxidermists ,,tools4 7#a7 ,gimlet 7#b7 ,expansive bits 7#c7 ,brush 7#d7 ,bone cutter 7#e7 7#f7 7#g7 7#h7 ,pliers 7#i7 ,pinking irons 7#aj7 ,hand vise 7#aa7 7#ab7 ,scalpels and knives4 ,illustration3 ,,taxidermists ,,tools4 7#ac7 ,scalpels 7#ae7 ,sewing palm 7#af7 ,straight ,surgeons ,scissors 7#ag7 ,curved ,surgeon ,scissors 7#ah7 ,angular ,surgeons ,scissors 7#ai7 ,fine ,point ,scissors 7#bj7 ,scissor ,handled ,stuffers 7#ba7 ,stuffer4 ,illustration3 ,,taxidermists ,,tools4 7#bb7 ,stuffer and forcep1 curved fine point 7#bc7 ,regular taxidermists stuffer and forcep 7#bd7 ,gauge 7#be7 ,hack ,saw 7#bf7 ,egg drill ,a packing box or two will furnish some lumber for temporary stands and interior frame work4 ,the permanent mounts are treated of elsewhere4 ,in ordering glass eyes it is often best to get them in the clear glass iris with black pupil so they may be given any color desired by painting the backs with tube colors1 afterward protecting the paint with varnish4 ,in this way a small stock will answer for many varieties4 ,the plain black eye which is the least expensive can be used for many of the smaller birds and mammals1 but should never be when the iris of the eye has any distinct tint4 ,do not make the mistake of ordering an assortment of off sizes and colors1 that is those which are seldom called for4 ,aim to have those on hand for which you will have the most frequent use1 the exceptions can be quickly had by parcel post4 ,there is more demand for eyes of some shade of yellow or brown than any other colors1 probably4 ,all birds have the round pupil4 ,elongated pupils are suitable for horned game and the cat tribe1 irregular pupils fish1 and the veined iris for dogs1 wolves and foxes4 ,suitable sizes for some species of birds are as follows3 ,number #c to #e ,sparrows generally4 ,number #e to #g ,robin1 blue jay1 flicker4 ,number #g to #i ,the smaller hawks and herons1 nearly all the ducks4 ,number #aj to #ab ,the smaller owls1 the wild goose4 ,number #ab to #ad ,the larger hawks and herons4 ,number #ae ,screech owl1 eagles4 ,number #ag ,barred owl4 ,number #ai or #bj ,snowy owl and great horned owl4 ,illustration3 ,,glass ,,eyes ,,for ,,animals1 ,,birds1 ,,fish4 ,size of eyes for quadrupeds3 ,number #g or #h ,mink1 skunk1 red squirrel4 ,number #aj to #ab ,gray and fox squirrel1 wood chuck1 raccoon and opossum4 ,number #ab to #ad ,rabbit1 small dogs1 house cat4 ,number #ae to #ag ,jack rabbit1 fox1 medium size dogs1 wild cat1 black bear4 ,number #ah ,large dog1 wolf1 lynx1 and grizzly bear4 ,number #bj to #bb ,puma1 jaguar1 small deer4 ,number #bc to #bd ,large deer1 tiger4 ,number #be to #bg ,moose1 elk1 caribou1 horse1 cow1 lion4 ,illustration3 ,,sizes ,,of ,,glass ,,eyes4 ,illustration3 ,,sizes ,,of ,,glass ,,eyes 7,style #a7 ,of wire the following sizes are suitable for birds3 ,number #f ,pelican4 ,number #g ,wild turkey1 swan4 ,number #h ,eagles4 ,number #i ,loon1 goose1 large herons4 ,number #aj ,seagull1 large ducks1 hawks1 owls1 and fish hawk4 ,number #aa or #ab ,medium size ducks1 herons1 and similar4 ,number #ac or #ad ,small ducks and grouse4 ,number #ae ,small herons1 and medium owls4 ,number #af ,doves1 small owls4 ,number #ag or #ah ,bob white1 jay1 robin1 snipe4 ,number #ai ,blackbird1 waxwing1 oriole4 ,number #bj ,bluebird1 cardinal4 ,number #ba to #bd ,warblers1 wrens1 titmouse1 finches4 ,number #bf ,north ,american humming bird4 ,for quadrupeds3 ,number #g ,wild cat4 ,number #h ,foxes4 ,number #aj ,raccoon1 wood chuck4 ,number #aa ,skunk1 opossum4 ,number #ab or #ac ,muskrat1 rabbit4 ,number #ad or #ae ,mink1 large squirrels4 ,number #ag or #ah ,weasel1 bull frog1 and small squirrels4 ,these sizes are approximate1 varying with size of the individual specimen and the required attitude wanted4 ,for instance1 a bird mounted with wings spread would be better for a large size wire than if in a resting position4 ,an animal crouched does not require as heavy supports as one upright or in action4 ,it is best to give the specimen the benefit of the doubt1 as nothing is more disastrous than to have an otherwise well mounted subject sag down and spoil the entire effect from lack of sufficient mechanical support4 ,the best wire for this purpose is annealed1 galvanized iron4 ,larger animals require ,norway iron rod in the following sizes3 #a_/d in4 ,coyote1 setter dog4 #e_/af in4 ,wolf1 puma4 #c_/h in4 ,medium deer4 #a_/b in4 ,caribou and large deer4 #c_/d in4 ,moose1 elk4 ,a large earthen jar or two will hold sufficient skin pickle for small animals4 ,for large animals or great numbers of small ones a tank or barrel4 ,keep such jars or barrels covered to prevent evaporation4 ,with dry arsenic and alum1 arsenical solution1 formaldehyde for an emergency and plenty of salt1 even a beginner should be able to save almost anything that falls into his clutches4 ,there are numbers of reliable dealers in tools and supplies for the taxidermist and a perusal of their catalogs will be helpful1 among the number being ,james ,p4 ,babbitt1 #aib ,hodges ,ave41 ,taunton1 ,mass4 ,ready to use head forms1 pinked rug and robe trimming1 artificial tongues and ear forms1 and even paper head and neck forms for the mounting of large game heads are some of the time and labor saving supplies they list4 ,if you cannot attain to these1 emergency supplies can be had of the dealer in hardware and dry goods1 and one who cares for the art will rise superior to the material at his hand4 ,what you stuff 'em with is of small consequence provided you use brains in the job4 ,i have seen an elk head stuffed with old clothes with the bottoms of pop bottles for eyes1 but would advise some other filling if possible4 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,preservative ,,preparations1 ,,formulas1 ,,etc4 ,probably arsenic in some form has been1 and will continue to be the leading taxidermic preservative1 or rather1 insect deterrent4 ,many people are shy of handling this1 but with reasonable care the use of arsenic is perfectly safe4 ,always keep poisons well labeled and out of the way of children4 ,nine children out of ten would never think of sampling them1 but the tenth might prove the fatal exception4 ,there is far less danger to the operator in handling the needful amount of poisons than in endeavoring to save some rare but over-ripe subject4 ,in many years' use of arsenic1 dry1 in wet solution1 and in soap1 ,i have received nothing more serious than an occasional sore finger4 ,the shape in which ,i have found it most satisfactory for poisoning hair and feathers of mounted specimens and the interior of furred skins ,i will give as ,,arsenical ,,solution4 ,commercial arsenic #a lb4 ,bicarbonate of soda #a_/b lb4 ,water #e pts4 ,boil until arsenic and soda have dissolved1 stirring frequently4 ,use a vessel at least twice as large as necessary to contain the quantity used as it foams up while boiling4 ,when cold put in a large bottle or jar marked ,poison1 of course4 ,for poisoning finished specimens1 mounted heads1 etc41 take one part of this solution to two parts water and spray the entire surface with this in an atomizer or larger sprayer4 ,it should be tested before using by dipping a black feather in it and if a gray or white deposit is left on drying1 it should be diluted still further until this is prevented4 ,to poison the inside of skins we make ,arsenical ,paste3 ,arsenical ,solution 7full strength71 whiting sufficient to produce the consistency of cream4 ,this should be mixed in a wide mouthed bottle or small pan and applied with a common paint brush4 ,do not apply to a perfectly dry skin1 like tanned hide for a robe or rug1 but dampen the inside first with clear water1 then paint over with the paste and it will strike through to the fur side and be taken up around the fur roots by capillary action4 ,this tends to put a damper on the activities of the moth1 whose favorite grazing ground is at the hair roots just outside the skin4 ,the paste is equally good on skins of birds1 except1 perhaps the smaller ones1 when freshly skinned1 and some of the smaller mammals4 ,the mixture of whiting makes it easy to see when the surface has already been treated1 unless the skin is dressed white1 in which case dry ochre may be used in place of whiting4 ,for poisoning the skins of the smaller furred animals and all but the larger birds3 ,,dry ,,preservative4 ,powdered white arsenic ,powdered alum ,mix equal parts by measure and apply to inside of the fresh skin with a soft brush or pad of cotton4 ,if during the skinning and cleaning the skin has dried so the powder will not stick1 moisten the inside of the skin with water before applying4 ,some taxidermists prefer to use in place of the paste some form of ,arsenical ,soap4 ,this may be purchased from the supply dealer or made at home at quite a reduction4 ,personally ,i dislike the greasy1 sticky feel of it2 it is apt to cling around the finger nails and scratches1 making them sore4 ,however1 the following is the best formula for a time honored preservative3 ,,hornaday',s ,,arsenical ,,soap4 ,white bar soap #a lb4 ,powdered arsenic #a lb4 ,camphor gum #b-a_/b oz4 ,subcarbonate of potash #c oz4 ,alcohol 7wood or grain7 #d oz4 ,slice the soap and melt slowly with a little water4 ,when melted stir in the potash and arsenic4 ,boil to the consistency of molasses and pour into a jar to harden4 ,add the camphor already dissolved in the alcohol and stir occasionally while cooling4 ,mix with water and apply with a paint brush to flesh side of skins4 ,in case one is timid about using any of the arsenical preparations ,i would advise them to try ,,browne',s ,,non-,,poisonous ,,preservative ,,soap4 ,whiting #bd oz4 ,white soap #h oz4 ,chloride lime #a_/b oz4 ,tincture camphor #a oz4 ,water #a pt4 ,shave the soap thin and boil it with the whiting and water till dissolved4 ,then remove from the fire and stir in the chloride1 adding the tincture camphor later when cold1 as much of the strength of the latter would be lost were the mixture hot4 ,keep in closed jars or bottles1 and if too thick1 thin down with water or alcohol4 ,apply like arsenical soap or paste4 ,this is highly recommended by ,english writers4 ,for a non-poisonous powder ,i would advise equal parts of powdered alum and insect powder in place of the arsenic and alum4 ,,solution ,,for ,,the ,,preservation ,,of ,,small ,,specimens ,,entire4 ,formaldehyde 7#dj strength7 #a part ,water #i parts ,mix thoroughly and put in glass or earthen jars or large mouthed bottles4 ,while most of the heads and skins of big game are preserved until they can reach the taxidermist1 many of the smaller specimens become a total loss4 ,lack of time and knowledge are the chief causes of this loss of valuable souvenirs of days out of doors and interesting natural objects4 ,probably the easiest and least expensive method of temporarily preserving entire the smaller animals1 birds1 fish and reptiles is by immersion in the above preparation4 ,i would not advise its use on animals larger than a small fox or cat1 and to insure an immediate penetration of the flesh the abdominal viscera should be removed from the larger specimens4 ,the amount of solution used should be about ten times the volume of the subject1 and it had best be replaced with fresh liquid after two or three days4 ,i think this will work equally well on birds1 reptiles and mammals4 ,on removal from the solution they may be skinned and mounted as fresh specimens4 ,on removing from the solution1 rinse in water containing a little ammonia to neutralize the irritating odor of the formaldehyde4 ,do not stand over the solution while mixing as the fumes of the formic acid affect the eyes4 ,the condensed form in which this chemical can be carried and its cheapness 7#cj;c4 per lb471 make it desirable as a temporary preservative4 ,the saying1 ,it never rains but it pours1 applies to the taxidermist and a sudden rush of subjects may often be saved by using the foregoing preparation4 ,other work may be under way1 or for other reasons it may be desirable to keep a specimen in the flesh a short time before mounting4 ,,alcoholic ,,solution4 ,alcohol 7#id strength7 ,equal parts ,water ,if alcohol is less than #id use less water4 ,use same as formaldehyde solution4 ,this is said to be superior to the formaldehyde solution1 though more expensive and harder to carry about on account of its greater bulk before mixing4 ,specimens kept long in any liquid are apt to lose their colors4 ,this fading will be reduced to a minimum if kept in the dark4 ,in order to do any satisfactory work on quadrupeds the taxidermist makes use of a bath or pickle of some sort for keeping skins in a wet state4 ,this pickle sets the hair and in a measure tans the skin1 reducing its liability to shrinkage and rendering it less desirable pasturage for insects4 ,all furred skins of any size should be immersed in this for a time before mounting1 and may be kept in it for months or years without injury4 ,if you have time to skin an animal properly the skin may be dropped in the pickle jar and in a day1 week1 or month be better fit for final mounting than at first4 ,for the first few days it is necessary to move it about every day so all parts may be exposed to the action of the pickle4 ,the form of pickle which ,i have found most helpful is3 ,,tanning ,,liquor4 ,water #a gal4 ,salt #a qt4 ,sulphuric acid 7measure7 #a oz4 ,bring to boiling point to dissolve the salt4 ,allow to cool before stirring in the acid4 ,when cold is ready for use4 ,when keeping skins in a wet state a long time ,i would prefer to use3 ,,salt ,,and ,,alum ,,pickle4 ,water #a gal4 ,salt #a qt4 ,alum #a pt4 ,boil to dissolve salt and alum2 use like preceding4 ,if skins are to be kept some time they should1 after a preliminary pickling1 be put in new1 fresh pickle and it should be occasionally tested with a salinometer and kept up to the original strength4 ,dirty and greasy pickle should be thrown away1 but if clean and of low strength it can be brought up by adding new pickle of extra strength4 ,it will do no hurt if more salt1 even a saturated solution1 is made of either of the foregoing4 ,while the salt and alum or acid pickle will keep our animal skins safely and in a relaxed condition ready for further preparation at any time1 it will not answer for bird skins4 ,for this we have a solution for keeping bird skins soft3 ,glycerine #b parts ,carbolic acid #a part ,after skinning the bird and applying some arsenical solution to the inside1 brush this solution liberally over the entire inside of the skin4 ,pay special attention to the bones1 wing and leg1 skull and root of the tail4 ,if necessary the skin may be packed flat for shipment4 ,one treatment will keep all but the larger skins soft for several months4 ,the feet1 of course1 will become hard and dry and must be relaxed as usual before mounting4 ,every taxidermist needs to be more or less of a modeler1 and one of the most useful materials is3 ,,papier ,,mache4 ,wet wood pulp #aj oz4 ,glue 7hot7 or ,le,page's 7measure7 #c oz4 ,plaster paris1 dry #bj oz4 ,this formula may be varied at the convenience of the operator4 ,work the glue into the pulp and knead the plaster into the mass4 ,the more glue the slower it sets and a few drops of glycerine will keep it soft several days4 ,made with little or no glue it hardens quickly4 ,if the paper pulp is not at hand it may be made by tearing old newspapers or sheathing paper small and boiling and pounding till a pulp results4 ,this composition is much in use in ,europe in the making of many familiar toys and similar objects4 ,for modeling open mouths1 finishing mounted specimens1 making artificial rocks1 stumps and boughs1 it is very desirable4 ,,wax ,,for ,,open ,,mouths4 ,beeswax #a part ,paraffin wax #a part ,melt and color with tube oil colors4 ,to color dip up a spoonful of melted wax1 squeeze some tube color in and stir until stiff4 ,place the spoon in the hot wax and stir till evenly mixed4 ,do not try to put the color directly in the hot wax as it will not mix evenly so4 ,wax should be melted in a water bath1 like a glue pot1 as excessive heat will darken it4 ,cakes of wax of suitable colors may be had of the supply dealers and are most economical when no great amount of work is done4 ,the same parties supply the paper pulp previously mentioned4 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,panels1 ,,shields ,,and ,,natural ,,and ,,artificial ,,mounts4 ,the preparation of a suitable setting for almost any mounted specimen will add greatly to its attractiveness4 ,if you know where it is to be placed it is not difficult to make it suit its surrounding4 ,for instance1 a head of big game for hanging in a dining or ball room is suitably mounted on a polished and carved hardwood shield4 ,while this would hardly match its surroundings on the wall of a log camp1 a rustic panel of natural wood with the bark on would perfectly suit the latter place4 ,heads1 horns1 and antlers are usually mounted on what are called shields4 ,fish and trophies of dead game birds and small game on panels4 ,single specimens are placed on severely plain wooden bases 7museum style7 or on those simulating branches1 rocks1 stumps or earth4 ,these are artificial1 but those built up in part at least with natural objects are most pleasing4 ,as we can not produce the best patterns of shields without special machines we must patronize either the supply dealers or the wood working mill for such4 ,if convenient to a mill equipped with jigsaw and moulder they can be made up after your own patterns4 ,illustration3 ,,shields--,,various ,,kinds ,,and ,,sizes4 7,a7 ,suitable for moose1 caribou1 deer1 fox by making or ordering according to size wanted2 7,b7 ,moose1 caribou1 deer2 7,k7 ,round shield2 7,e7 ,bear shield2 7,q7 ,combination--head and feet4 ,illustration3 ,,shields1 ,,foot ,,and ,,hall ,,rack4 7,c7 and 7,d7 ,deer ,shields 7,j7 ,four ,feet ,rack 7,v7 ,hall ,rack ,illustration3 ,,gun ,,rack1 ,,fish ,,and ,,game ,,panels1 ,,hall ,,rack4 7,i7 ,gun rack 7,f7 ,fish panel 7,h7 ,shield1 combination head and feet 7,s7 ,hall ,rack1 small4 ,illustration3 ,,some ,,shields ,,and ,,panels4 7,m7 ,shield with carving 7,g7 ,panel for game1 x1 y1 z1 aa1 bb ,deer foot thermometers 7,l7 ,deer foot thermometer and small animal panel4 ,some of the sizes most used are approximately as follows for mounted heads3 ,for moose1 elk1 caribou4 #bjx#cj inches4 ,for deer1 goat or sheep4 #abx#ah or #afx#ba4 ,for fox or lynx4 #hx#aj inches4 ,for bear or wolf4 #abx#ae ,for birds1 small fur-bearers and fish4 #fx#h in4 ,oval panels for mounting fish4 #ix#bb #aex#dj ,for dead game4 #ajx#ae #adx#bd #agx#be ,for mounting horns of elk and moose the size for deer heads will answer nicely1 while deer antlers are suitable with a shield of the fox head size4 ,in order to draw a symmetrical pattern for the woodworker1 take a piece of stiff paper of the right length and width1 fold it down the middle1 draw one half to suit and cut out with shears4 ,the style of moulding called ,ogee is to be preferred4 ,a simple diamond1 heart1 or oval shape can be made at home with beveled or rounded edges1 or if your tools include a turning saw 7which is most useful for a variety of purposes7 you may try a more pretentious shield4 ,to achieve this1 make your pattern as just described and after marking it on a piece of wood from #c_/h to #g_/h inch thick1 cut out with the turning saw4 ,it should be held in the vise for this operation4 ,place this cut out shield 7#a7 on a piece of board of similar thickness but somewhat larger and with a pair of compasses mark out another #a_/b in4 or so larger all around4 7#b7 ,also mark the same distance inside the edge4 ,illustration3 ,,home ,,made ,,shield4 ,with a wood worker's gauge or something similar make a mark around them both near the lower sides4 ,now with draw shave and rasp work the edges off both ,nos4 #a and #b4 ,no4 #a on a bevel1 ,no4 #b rounded4 ,there should be a number of holes drilled and countersunk in ,no4 #b1 from the back1 and when the two parts of the shield are properly adjusted they should be drawn closely together with screws too short to penetrate the face of the shield4 ,if the adjustment is perfect the screws are to be drawn and the surfaces which come in contact coated well with glue1 then drawn closely together and laid aside until thoroughly dry1 when it should be well sandpapered before varnishing4 ,all shields and panels should be carefully sandpapered1 filled and varnished1 and polished if you wish4 ,don't make the shield or panel so ornate that the specimen will seem but an incidental1 thrown in for good measure1 so to speak4 ,rustic panels can be made by sawing the end from a log on a slant1 and planing smooth the oval4 ,if this is heavily varnished on the front and back and the bark left on it is a very suitable mount for small heads1 fish and birds4 ,artificial branches and trees for mounting birds should be avoided if possible2 they are made by wrapping tow around wires1 coating with glue and covering with moss or papier mache and painting4 ,the result ,i consider unnatural and inartistic4 ,illustration3 ,,small ,,bird4 ,i would advise to use natural branches as far as possible2 sufficient labor will be required to make necessary joining and changes look as near like nature as you can4 ,rock work is usually made of a wooden framework covered with cloth1 wire or paper and finished with a coating of glue and crushed stone or sand4 ,one of the most useful materials in this work is the rough cork bark so much used by florists4 ,it is light1 comes in desirable shapes1 can be nailed1 sawed or coated with glue or paint4 ,for constructing stumps for mounted birds of prey and rustic stands for small and medium fur animals it has no equal4 ,some taxidermists produce rock work of an obscure geological period by covering screen wire forms with a mixture of flour1 baking powder and plaster of paris and water4 ,this is put in an oven and baked hard1 the weird result being painted to the artist's taste4 ,water worn roots such as are found along the shore1 twisted laurel branches1 limbs of gum1 oak and sassafras1 all work up well in this and should be stored up to dry against a day of need4 ,out door people have a good eye for such things1 but they are hard to find when you look for them1 so gather them on your rambles4 ,papier mache is also a good modeling material for stumps1 limbs and rock1 being light1 and readily taking coats of glue or paint4 ,the expert can copy nature closely with it4 ,some leaves and grasses can be pressed1 dried and colored their natural shades with oil paints4 ,the dealers supply a great variety of artificial foliage1 some of which may be used to advantage1 in case work especially4 ,dried mosses and lichens of various sorts may be used in this4 ,some of these powdered and glued on papier mache or cork bark stumps and limbs produce a very pleasing effect4 ,snow scenes are frequently attempted but are not always a success4 ,the peculiar fluffy and glittering appearance is rather difficult to reproduce4 ,torn or ground up white blotting paper mixed with a little ground mica has been used for this purpose4 ,glass icicles are listed by dealers and are quite natural in appearance1 but the simulation of water is difficult and often disappointing4 ,it is often desirable to mount small specimens1 of birds especially1 in cases of some kind which will protect them from dust1 dirt and rough handling and at the same time display them to advantage4 ,the oldest and at the same time the least suitable contrivance for this is the well known bell glass or globe4 ,it is difficult to find a safe place for this in the average house and it is not at all adapted to many specimens4 ,a plain wall case with glass front and a painted or decorated background will give the necessary protection with the least expense4 ,for small bird groups1 and singles and pairs of game birds1 the oval convex glasses probably present the finest appearance4 ,the backgrounds for these may be either plush or wood panels or hand painted1 and any style of picture framing may be used4 ,these are made in several sizes1 listing at #b4jj to #h4jj each without backgrounds or frames4 ,this cost has probably prevented their more common use4 ,there is on the market a papier mache background also adapted to any picture frame1 called the concave dust proof case4 ,this has the flat face glass of the old style wall case1 but with the square corners and much of the weight eliminated4 ,any of these styles of wall cases may be placed on shelves as well as hung on the wall like pictures1 at once preventing breakage and becoming valuable decorations4 ,special cases are often built 7as in museums7 for large and valuable mounted specimens4 ,of these the top and at least three sides should be of glass4 ,the preparing and placing of the accessories in some large museum cases have required an unbelievable amount of time and expense to attain the desired natural appearance of the mounting4 ,,chapter ,v4 ,,field ,,work1 ,,collecting4 ,while it is unlikely that many readers of this book will undertake the collection of natural history specimens in any great numbers or as a special business1 a few words on the subject may not be amiss4 ,it is well to bear in mind that the better the condition of the specimen when it first comes to hand1 the greater will be our chances of success in properly preserving it4 ,a small bird shot with a rifle is not worth bothering with unless excessively rare1 and a fur bearer which the dogs have been allowed to maul and chew is very difficult to put in satisfactory condition4 ,one rule of the collector in the field is to shoot each specimen with the smallest possible charge of shot and powder which will kill it4 ,i speak of shooting1 as probably three-fourths of the objects mounted by the average taxidermist have been killed with fire arms4 ,of late years a number of collector's guns have been put out by the arms makers1 though any good small bore shotgun will answer for collecting all of our small and medium sized ,american birds and mammals4 ,some of these guns of about 4#dd cal4 are exceedingly accurate and reliable performers4 ,in one case this small bore shotgun has been combined with a rifle1 and the light weight and portability of this little arm makes it about the last word in guns for collecting all small specimens4 ,illustration3 ,,marble',s ,,shot ,,gun ,,and ,,rifle ,,combined4 ,it as well as other single guns of the same bore1 is built to use a round ball in the shot barrel1 making them capable of stopping deer or bear at short ranges4 ,however1 choosing a gun is like choosing a wife1 every one has their own tastes4 ,i would advise the would-be collector to load his own shotgun shells1 at least those for small birds and animals1 as it is almost impossible to get factory loaded shells but what are charged too heavily4 ,for the collection of animals for taxidermic purposes the use of traps will probably yield some of the best as well as the more rare and unusual varieties4 ,such styles of traps as least injure the appearance of the finished specimen are preferred4 ,the old-fashioned snare1 dead-fall and box trap are as good as any in this respect4 ,the wire spring or choke traps of ,stop ,thief style are ahead of the common steel trap in this respect1 but like the homemade traps cannot be used in so many various situations4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,stop ,,thief ,,or ,,choke ,,trap4 ,water animals taken in steel traps may usually be quickly drowned4 ,if set on land they should be tended often to prevent suffering and usually mutilation of the trapped game4 ,full information on this subject will be found in ,science of ,trapping and other books on special animals by same publisher4 ,the naturalist uses more small traps than large ones in most cases2 many1 many more specimens being taken in ,no4 #a's than in bear traps4 ,several styles of mouse and rat traps are useful in collecting the smaller mammals1 such as mice1 rats and ground squirrels of various species4 ,fish are to be collected any way you can get 'em1 7legally at least74 ,many varieties of these are to be bought at the large markets and many rare and hideous specimens are discarded by market fishermen when culling their catches4 ,a few years ago before much restriction was imposed on the sale of game it was possible to purchase many desirable things at the markets of ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,not only bear and deer1 but elk1 ptarmigan1 arctic hares1 sage and prairie grouse1 fox squirrels1 pileated woodpeckers and many other odds and ends were offered for sale as well as all the usual land and water game4 ,however you take your specimens or how badly damaged they may be when they reach your hands it behooves you to see that no further damage befalls them4 ,specimens when shot should have all possible blood and dirt brushed or washed from feathers or fur and all shot holes1 as well as mouth and nostrils plugged with a wisp of cotton to prevent further soiling4 ,an awl1 or piece of wire will be useful for this4 ,blood should be removed from white fur or feathers as soon as possible or it will be stained more or less4 ,small birds should be dropped head first into a paper cone1 and laid in a basket or box if possible1 the common hunting coat pocket is apt to break delicate feathers1 though if the bird is well wrapped it may do4 ,fur bearers will stand more rough usage and may be tied together by heads or feet or packed in game bag or pocket4 ,fish should be wrapped in paper to protect the scales4 ,it goes without saying that specimens which it is planned to preserve should be kept cool if possible until work can be started on them4 ,some varieties spoil more quickly than others2 fish eating birds need quick attention2 most birds of the hawk and owl family keep well1 as do the pheasants1 grouse1 etc4 ,frozen animals keep perfectly in that state but spoil quickly after thawing4 ,keep away from blow flies4 ,specimens are often sent to the taxidermists in apparent good order and when received are entirely ruined by fly maggots2 the eggs being deposited before packing and shipping4 ,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,skinning ,,and ,,preserving ,,skins4 ,with a suitable specimen at hand it is for us to decide if we shall mount it or preserve it as a skin temporarily or indefinitely4 ,to illustrate we will presume that we have a muskrat just from the trap which is to be mounted at once4 ,before skinning it is best to get some measurements to guide us in the later work4 ,in this case where the skin is to be mounted immediately a simple outline is sufficient1 as we will have the body in the flesh and all the leg bones1 etc41 to guide us in rebuilding the creature4 ,to get such outline1 lay the animal on its side on a piece of blank paper1 put the feet and legs in some natural position1 fasten them in place with a few pins and mark around the entire animal with a pencil4 ,the eye1 hip and shoulder joints1 and base of skull may be indicated on this outline sheet4 ,our muskrat is a trapped and drowned one so we will not have to replace the shot hole plugs with fresh ones1 as would be best if it had been killed with the gun4 ,also it has been dead long enough for the rigor mortis to prevent the free flow of blood and body juices which bother the operator if it has been killed but an hour or less4 ,illustration3 ,,outline ,,of ,,muskrat4 ,,hip ,,and ,,shoulder ,,joints ,,marked ,laying the animal on its back1 make the opening cut by pushing the knife point through the skin at the juncture of neck and chest4 ,run the blade down between skin and flesh1 separating the skin in a long clean cut to the root of the tail4 ,open the tail also along the under side from the tip to within an inch or so of its base4 ,slit open the sole of each foot from the middle toe to the heel and further if necessary so the leg skin may be turned down over the foot4 ,beginning at this central cut1 skin back each side until the shoulder and hip joints are encountered4 ,bending the limb will show the exact joint where the muscles are cut apart and the legs severed from the body4 ,cut off the tail near its base1 leaving it in the skin for the present4 ,loosen the skin from back and shoulders and turn it wrong side out over the head4 ,skin down until the ears are reached1 cutting them off close down to the head and continue on to the eyes4 ,work carefully around these and cut close to the skull to avoid hacking the eyelids4 ,cut through the nose cartilage1 and when the lips are reached cut them away close to the gums1 leaving both their inner and outer skin on the pelt4 ,cutting them off at the edge of the hair is a frequent cause of trouble as they are full and fleshy and should be split1 pared down on the inside and when mounted1 filled out to their natural shape to perfect the anatomy4 ,illustration3 ,,skinning ,,small ,,animal ,,for ,,mounting4 ,,cut ,,on ,,dotted ,,lines4 ,now the skin of each leg may be turned wrong side out down to the toes and all flesh and muscle cut away from the leg bones with knife and scissors4 ,the tail also is to be removed from its skin and the ears turned wrong side out to their tips4 ,in skinning no flesh of any consequence should be left adhering to the skin and it should never be pulled off by main strength1 but rather separated by the knife or fingers1 pushing the flesh away from the skin rather than the reverse4 ,the skull should now be cleaned as the leg bones were and if a number of specimens are being prepared at the same time the heads may be put in a kettle and boiled a short time1 when on trying with a fork or awl the flesh becomes tender and may be rapidly removed with a knife4 ,the brain may be removed with a hooked wire1 the skull well rinsed inside and out and given a good coat of arsenical paste or other preservative4 ,the next step is determined by what you intend doing with the skin4 ,if it is to be kept for purposes of study without mounting it should be made up as a scientific skin4 ,if to be mounted at once or in the near future it should be put in the jar of salt and acid or alum4 ,it can of course be mounted at once without this bath but ,i believe it is well worth any extra work it entails4 ,some young furred animals and others with very delicate skins do not work up well from the bath and had best be mounted without it1 being handled more as bird skins are4 ,in skinning the larger quadrupeds we make two additional cuts1 from the right to the central line and out to the left fore foot and a similar cut connecting the hind feet4 ,these opening cuts are on the back and inside of the legs1 you will understand4 ,with most large subjects another cut from the shoulders up the back of the neck is necessary4 ,on animals having horns or antlers this is terminated in a ,y or ,t shape1 reaching the base of the antlers4 ,after loosening the skin around the antlers the head is removed through this incision4 ,as it is hardly possible to make an outline sketch of a large animal1 as full a set of measurements as possible is useful in all cases4 ,illustration3 ,,skinning ,,large ,,animal ,,for ,,mounting4 ,,cut ,,on ,,dotted ,,lines4 ,the bones of the legs will be in the way attached to the skin and the two upper bones of each leg may be detached and if lack of space or transportation make it necessary1 thrown away1 though if the bones of one hind leg and one front leg are preserved artificial duplicates may be carved4 ,illustration3 ,,skinning ,,bird-,,breast ,,cut4 ,in skinning birds1 after fresh cotton plugs have been put in place the feathers are parted and the opening incision made through the skin only from the middle of the breast to the root of the tail4 ,separate the skin and flesh on each side until the knee is reached1 push this up until the knife or scissors can be passed under it and the leg severed at the joint4 ,a little corn meal sprinkled on the exposed flesh and the operator's fingers will prevent the feathers adhering and becoming soiled as the work proceeds4 ,cut off the flesh in which the tail quills are rooted leaving it on the skin with one or two of the last vertebrae4 ,use care in this or you will cut the skin above the tail too4 ,the body may now be hung up by a cord tied to the stump of one of the legs and both hands used in separating and turning the skin back until the wings are reached4 ,the skin is loosened around these and they may be severed at the elbow joint unless the bird is to be mounted with wings spread1 when it will be best to unjoint at the shoulder and preserve the entire wing bones4 ,illustration3 ,,hooded ,,merganser4 ,with the wings detached we skin on to the base of the skull4 ,in some of the ducks1 and other water birds1 woodpeckers and owls the neck is so slender and the skull so large that it is necessary to cut the neck off here and making a cut down the back of the head and neck continue the skinning of the head through it4 ,do not cut or tear the membrane of the ears but pull it out with the forceps and work down over the eyes1 cutting the membrane connecting the skin but not the lids or eyeball itself4 ,the liquid contents of the eye are particularly sticky and difficult to remove from feathers4 ,continue skinning to the base of the bill1 scoop the eyes from their sockets and cut loose the forward part of the skull from the neck4 ,this is usually accomplished with four snips of the scissors much easier to practice than to describe4 ,make one cut on each side of the head1 through the small bone connecting the base of the lower jaw with the skull1 another through the roof of the mouth at the base of the upper mandible and between the jaws of the lower1 and the last through the skull behind the eyes and parallel with the roof of the mouth4 ,this will free the skull of the neck and most of its flesh and muscle4 ,in most cases the head should be returned to the skin as soon as possible to avoid its drying out of shape and giving the feathers a wrong set4 ,after cleaning and poisoning the skull and filling the eye sockets with cotton this reversing is undertaken4 ,if working on a small bird the learner is apt to come to grief here1 as only by careful and patient work without the application of some force is the returning process accomplished successfully4 ,the wings and legs may now be skinned down to the first joint and all flesh and muscle removed from the bones4 ,this is done expeditiously by snipping off the end of the leg bone and stripping it down with adhering flesh to the ankle joint where it 7the flesh7 is cut off4 ,the wings are skinned to the first joint1 stripping the wing primary feathers from their fastening on the bone with the thumb nail1 clipping off the large bone near the end and detaching the small bone with all flesh and muscle adhering4 ,if this is clipped off at the wrist joint the entire wing is cleaned4 ,this method applies to all small and medium birds not wanted with spread wings4 ,illustration3 ,,opening ,,cut ,,on ,,bird4 ,opening and ,cleaning ,wing from ,underneath ,for ,spread ,wing ,mounting4 ,in case wing spread is wanted the primary feathers are not disturbed but that part of the wing is cleaned from a slit in the under side of the wing4 ,all but the smallest birds should have the tip joint of the wing slit open on the under side and some form of preservative worked in the opening4 ,specimens the size of a crow and larger should have a cut made in the bottom of the foot and the tendons of the lower leg drawn out with an awl1 and in the case of very large birds it may be necessary to soak the unfeathered part of the legs and feet in a pan of strong pickle for #bd hours1 to prevent decay and damage from insects4 ,our bird is now entirely ready for the application of such preservatives as we may be using4 ,the main principle in the preserving of skins may be stated thus3 ,all skins must be removed and cleaned of flesh so the preservative may be applied to every part of the inner surface1 where it will act directly on the roots of the hair or feathers4 ,the preservative applied1 we must decide on the next step1 whether it is to be mounted at once1 in a short time1 or laid away indefinitely as a scientific skin4 ,if we have to lay it away until tomorrow1 put a little cotton inside to prevent the inner surface sticking together1 wrap in a damp cloth and unless the weather is very hot it will be all right4 ,if very hot or it is necessary to lay it aside for some days1 the inner side should be well coated with the carbolic and glycerine mixture4 ,as a scientific skin it should be made up at once1 tagged with a full set of measurements taken before skinning and laid aside to dry4 ,these measurements are not needed if we mount it at once1 as the skinned body is at hand for comparison1 but the sex1 date1 locality and collector's name should be attached to the completed specimen4 ,alligators and the lizard family are skinned like the other four-footed species1 as are snakes and fish1 with the exception they have no limb bones to be cleaned and preserved4 ,fish are better opened along one side than the central line of the body4 ,reptile skins if not put in the pickle jar had better be packed in salt after poisoning as when entirely dry they are practically ruined4 ,skins of fish are best kept in either a saturated solution of salt 7water with salt added until no more will dissolve71 alcohol or formaldehyde solution4 ,whatever method is used the delicate colors will vanish and unless you can have a fresh specimen at hand when mounting it you should make the best color record you are able4 ,this is true to some extent at least of all coverings of fur1 feathers1 or scales1 and the stronger the light the more damage4 ,i have seen a mounted mink placed in direct sunshine1 bleached to a drab and the yellow feathers on a 'flicker faded almost white4 ,in order to preserve turtles1 after killing with chloroform preferably1 it is necessary in the case of the box or land turtles to cut a square opening in the under shell through which the body may be removed and the legs and neck skinned4 ,the water species can have the lower shell detached from the upper at the side and after cutting the skin around the rear two-thirds this shell is turned over to the front and the skinning and cleaning proceeded with4 ,if not mounted at once make into a dry skin after poisoning or small turtles may be put in alcohol4 ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,making ,,scientific ,,skins4 ,probably most bird skins which are not mounted at once are kept in the form of scientific skins4 ,in other words they are skinned1 poisoned and without wiring1 given the shape of the dead bird4 ,their plumage1 size1 etc41 may be examined1 they are easily packed or shipped and1 if properly made1 may be mounted at any time but at the expenditure of considerably more work than a freshly taken skin requires4 ,the instructions on skinning leaves us with the skin wrong side out with the exception of possibly the head4 ,the leg and wing bone1 cleaned of flesh1 should be well poisoned as well as the skin and after wrapping with pieces of cotton bat to their approximate size1 returned to their places4 ,it is well when doing this to under rather than over fill4 ,connect the bones of the wings with a bit of thread or cord4 ,after filling out around the eyes and upper throat1 wind a small stick or piece of wire with cotton to a size a little smaller than the natural neck and push it into the opening at the back of skull4 ,the body can be filled out now with raw cotton1 tow1 or any similar substance not of animal origin4 ,fine excelsior is about right for large birds4 ,the edges of the opening cut may be drawn together by a few coarse stitches4 ,after the feet have been tied together it is time to adjust all the feathers become well rumpled in handling4 ,our fingers1 forceps and a setting needle made of a large needle or part of a hat pin in a wooden handle will accomplish this4 ,stained or dirty plumage should be cleaned before the skin is filled out1 by first sponging with tepid water1 then with gasoline or benzine and drying with plaster of paris or corn meal4 ,never apply this without the gasoline first or you will have trouble indeed4 ,now the skin is ready for its label1 which should supply the following information3 #a4 ,length in inches from tip of tail to end of tail4 #b4 ,distance between the tips of outstretched wings4 #c4 ,length of wing from the first joint4 #d4 ,color of eyes1 feet1 bill1 etc4 #e4 ,date1 locality1 collector4 #f4 ,the sex4 ,the first three items are often combined1 in the case of a bluebird for instance1 #g-ab-d1 the order being understood4 ,unless the plumage plainly indicates the sex this should be assured by examination of the skinned body4 ,by making an opening in the side of this near the back bone the inside surface of the small of the back is exposed4 ,in the case of the male there will be visible two rounded bodies1 varying in size with the season and species1 and in the female a flattened mass of spheres4 ,after labeling and fastening the bill together with a pin or thread the skin should be slipped inside a paper tube to dry4 ,water birds with long slender necks should have the head bent around beside the body and the long legs of waders are bent at the ankle and left resting on the body2 this to prevent breakage4 ,duck1 geese and any fat birds need the inside of the skins well scraped1 sponged with gasoline1 partly filled with plaster paris and left for several hours so all grease may be absorbed4 ,this grease should be removed prior to applying the preservative as it will prevent any effectual penetration by the latter4 ,after cleaning either the inside or out of a skin with plaster it will be necessary to gently beat it with a whisk broom or something similar to dislodge the particles of plaster4 ,a current of air 7from a bicycle pump1 for instance7 will remove the dust from the feathers when dry4 ,illustration3 ,,scientific ,,skins1 ,,small ,,animals ,,and ,,birds4 ,fewest dry scientific skins are made up from the quadrupeds1 but in case the matter of transportation prevents wet preservation or they are wanted dry the all around taxidermist must practice at making them up also4 ,like the bird skin they should be thoroughly rid of flesh and fat after skinning but do not require such finical handling4 ,rinsing in water with a little washing powder or soda added will remove blood stains and some grease but the benzine bath with the drying after1 as recommended in the chapter on tanning1 etc41 will be needed in case of very fat specimens4 ,all small animals are made up about the same as birds1 wrapping the leg bones in tow1 oakum or cotton and filling out the body with the same material4 ,the skull cleaned and poisoned had best be put in the centre of the body with the filling1 when it can be found at any time by ripping a few of the stitches4 ,the skin of the head is filled out with the same material and the tail may either be bent up under the body or drawn together by a few stitches around a wrapped wire extending into the body half its length4 ,of course the operator will see that the entire inner surface of the skin is treated liberally with some preservative1 arsenical paste preferably1 before the filling process4 ,after stitching up the opening cut the skin is laid on a board1 back up and the legs neatly disposed1 the front feet beside the head and the hind ones drawn back beside the tail4 ,the feet are fastened with a pin each and after smoothing down the fur with a small metal fur comb the skin is laid aside in an airy1 shady place until fully dry4 ,with each scientific skin a record should be made of the following details3 #a4 ,length1 end of nose to root of tail4 #b4 ,length of tail from root to end of bone4 #c4 ,height at shoulders4 #d4 ,color of eyes1 lips1 feet1 etc4 #e4 ,name of species1 sex1 locality1 date1 and collector's name4 ,these may be noted down on a corner of the outline sheet1 which is numbered and filed away2 the skin tagged with a duplicate number is put in the pickle jar or made up as a dried skin1 whichever is desired1 or the full information may be put on a tag attached to the skin4 ,many collectors simply number all specimens and preserve all information in their note books4 ,the foregoing details are sufficient for animals less than bear and deer in size4 ,the larger animals should have as many as possible of the following additional measurements3 ,distance hip joint to shoulder joint4 ,circumference of forearm4 neck4 body4 ,back of leg4 ,weight if possible4 ,skins of large animals1 a bear for instance1 may have a slight wrapping of tow or excelsior on the leg bones to prevent their coming in contact with the skin and the whole skin laid to dry on a scaffold of poles or something similar4 ,when nearly dry fold up with the legs inside in a square shaped package4 ,this can be tied up with heavy cord or even sewed up in burlap to prevent damaging the skin in transit4 ,fish and reptiles are not a success as dry skins4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,preparing ,,dry ,,and ,,wet ,,skins ,,for ,,mounting4 ,let us assume that we have a dry skin each of a small bird and a furred animal which has been properly made up sometime in the past and which it is necessary to mount4 ,taking the bird skin first1 the usual way is to first wrap the unfeathered parts of legs in some strips of cotton cloth saturated with water containing a few drops of carbolic acid until they begin to relax or lose their stiffness somewhat4 ,then the filling may be removed from the whole interior of the skin and be replaced with pieces of cotton1 dampened as before1 and the whole skin wrapped in a cloth or shut in a close box until with some scraping and manipulation it becomes as pliable as when first removed4 ,any little lumps of dried muscle should be broken up and the edges of the opening cut1 scraped and stretched out as they are very apt to wrinkle and curl up1 thus reducing the size of the skin considerably4 ,the eye sockets are to be filled with balls of wet cotton to render the lids and surrounding skin soft4 ,the roots of quills and tufts of large feathers will need loosening as some flesh is necessarily left around them4 ,the small animal skin may be treated the same way but the most thorough and expeditious method of relaxing skins of both animals and birds 7except the smallest of the latter7 is to plunge them into water1 clear in cool weather1 slightly carbolized in warm1 until they are pretty well relaxed4 ,then go after the inner side with scraper until any lumps of fat1 muscle and the inner skin are well scratched up4 ,soak in benzine or gasoline and clean with hot meal1 sand1 sawdust or plaster as directed for tanning4 ,remember that bird skins must be handled carefully1 so do not be too strenuous in beating and shaking them4 ,of course if any skin has been laid away with quantities of fat adhering it will need very gingerly handling to save it1 in fact unless very rare such skins are not worth trying to save as they have little durability however treated4 ,the largest polar bear skin ,i ever saw was ruined by lying in the grease too long before dressing4 ,bird skins preserved with the glycerine carbolic preparation require relaxing the legs and a cleaning and dampening up of the inside of the skins4 ,furred skins from the pickle need a good scraping on their inner surface1 thorough rinsing in soda solution to neutralize the acid and remove all salt1 then the benzine bath and cleaning4 ,don't forget to rinse salted or pickled skins else beads of moisture will form on the specimen in damp weather and crystals of salt in dry4 ,illustration3 ,,foot ,,skinned ,,out4 ,occasionally an extra rare skin will drop to pieces through age or other infirmities when being prepared for mounting4 ,the only hope for it then is to glue and pin it piecemeal on a manikin covered with some preparation which gives it a firm surface4 ,while an expert will achieve fair results in such work the amateur could hardly expect success4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,mounting ,,small ,,and ,,medium ,,birds4 ,a word of advice to the beginner as to the variety of specimen to use in first trials4 ,don't begin on too small a bird until somewhat adept2 unpracticed fingers bungle sadly over tiny feathered bodies4 ,a first subject should be at least as large as a bob white to give room to work1 and of some variety in which the feathers are firmly embedded4 ,snow birds1 cardinals1 and some others have very thin delicate skins1 the pigeons shed their feathers on little or no provocation4 ,blackbirds and jays are very good to practice on but the very best would be a coot1 sometimes called crow duck or mudhen4 ,it is of fair size1 closely covered with feathers which will fall in place readily after skinning and wiring even at the hands of a beginner4 ,many1 in fact most1 birds have numerous bare patches which the adjacent feathered tracts cover perfectly while in the flesh1 but which a too generous filling will exhibit in all their nakedness4 ,i had not discovered this until some of my first attempts at mounting birds nonplussed me by showing numerous patches of bare skin in spite of the fact that but a few feathers had become loosened in the handling4 ,we will assume that a suitable specimen is at hand1 freshly killed and properly skinned as per the directions already given4 ,all bones remaining with the skin1 lower leg1 wing1 skull1 etc41 have been stripped of flesh and any shreds remaining poisoned1 as has the entire inner surface of skin4 ,with the skinned body at hand cut three wires of suitable size1 one a little more than twice the length of the body and neck1 for the body wire1 the other two about twice the length of the legs may be a size larger as it is important that the leg wires furnish adequate support4 ,illustration3 ,,clinching ,,leg ,,wires ,,in ,,artificial ,,body ,,of ,,bird ,form the body wire into a loop which is the outline of the body laid on one side with the surplus end projecting along the line of the neck4 ,this loop should not be quite as large as the body1 however1 to allow for a thin layer of filling material over it4 ,wad up a handful of coarse tow1 push it inside the body loop and wind with coarse thread1 drawing in by pressure and winding and building out with flakes of tow to a rough shape of the skinned body4 ,the neck also is built up the same way1 making it fully as thick as the original but no longer ever4 ,illustration3 ,,wire ,,loop ,,for ,,bird ,,body4 ,if the wire projects more than a couple of inches from this artificial neck1 cut it off at that length and with a flat file or emery wheel give it a sharp triangular point4 ,the leg wires1 too1 should be pointed similarly4 ,all wire should be smooth1 straight1 and free from kinks to work well4 ,coming in coils it will require straightening1 the larger sizes with mallet or hammer and ,no4 #ah and smaller by fastening one end in the vise and giving the other a sharp tug with a pair of pliers4 ,it will be felt to stretch slightly and become quite straight4 ,next insert the pointed end of a leg wire in the bottom of the foot and pass it up along the back of the bone between it and the skin4 ,a considerable knack is necessary to do this successfully and some force must be used4 ,passing the heel joint is difficult but having done this and emerged inside the skin continue to pass it until it is a little longer than the leg bone beside it4 ,illustration3 ,,wiring ,,leg ,,of ,,bird ,turn the skin of leg inside out and wrapping tow around both bone and wire build up a duplicate of the leg from thigh to heel1 wrapping snugly with thread4 ,treat the other leg the same4 ,with forceps fill the skull back of mouth with tow cut in short pieces4 ,a quantity of this may be chopped on the block with the hatchet and kept on hand in a box4 ,never fill any part of a mounted bird with cotton unless it may be the sockets as it is impossible to force a sharpened wire or pin through it4 ,the parts of the wing bones remaining should be wrapped with tow as the legs are1 only they hardly need any wiring inside unless the bird is to be with wings spread4 ,fasten the ends of the wing bones together by a stout cord or thread so they are separated the distance between the shoulders1 measuring across the back of body4 ,now insert the neck wire in the back of skull forcing it out through the crown until the artificial neck is brought snugly against the opening at the base of the skull4 ,bend the pointed end over to get it out of the way and adjust the skin of the neck4 ,draw the skin of breast over the body keeping the bird on its back4 ,if the body has been properly made it will fill the skin rather loosely4 ,if too large it can be removed and made smaller before proceeding4 ,the operator will note that in all small and medium birds the thigh and the upper wing1 next the shoulder are not built up and wired with the rest of the limbs but are filled out later from inside the skin1 as in all ordinary positions they show but little externally1 the elbow and knee joints nestling close to the body among the feathers4 ,so when fastening the legs to the body let the wires enter where the knee would lie and push the wire through obliquely1 upward and forward1 pushing and drawing them through the artificial and natural leg until the lower ends approach the feet4 ,grasping the sharpened ends of the leg wires at the middle of the length projecting from the body1 with round nose pliers bend them over in a hair pin shape4 ,illustration3 ,,bird ,,wired4 ,work this loop back through the body pulling back through the leg and clinch the points over into the body again4 ,if the body was firmly made as it should be1 this fixes the legs permanently to it1 yet they may be bent readily at the joints to suit various attitudes4 ,adjust the skin now and fill out at shoulders1 thighs1 and base of tail with some chopped tow4 ,the breast also may need some filling4 ,sew up the skin beginning at the breast and finishing at the base of tail1 lacing it together with the ball cover stitch4 ,the pose of the finished specimen you have probably decided on before now so it only remains to put it in the desired attitude4 ,this sounds easy1 like sculpture1 just knock off what stone you don't need and there is the statue1 but it may try your soul at length to obtain the desired effect4 ,good pictures are a great help here1 as of course a living duplicate would be if you had it4 ,before setting it on its feet1 coax the wings into place as you hold the bird in your hand and pin them to the body through the elbow and outer joint of the wing1 using several pins #b to #d in4 long or pieces of sharpened wire the same size4 ,this will hold the wings out of the way and they may be changed and fitted perfectly later4 ,mounted birds are usually put on temporary stands of rough boards or limbs and when fully dried out transferred to a permanent mount which can be prepared in the meantime of the exact size and variety wished for4 ,on these temporary stands the leg wires are only twisted together so they can be easily removed4 ,place the feet in natural positions of standing1 walking or running and arrange the toes correctly4 ,they had best have some pins driven in beside the toes to secure them till dry1 as badly shaped feet will spoil the effect of an otherwise fine piece of work1 indicating a careless workman4 ,if on a bough or stump the feet should grasp it as if the bird really means to stay on it4 ,two or three wires like those used on the wings hold the tail in place by being driven through the base of it into the body for half their length4 ,fix the head looking down rather than up and to one side rather than straight ahead4 ,if you have the proper glass eyes at hand they can be set now1 if not1 later will do but the lids are relaxed just now to receive them4 ,fill the back of the sockets with tow or cotton and with a little spoon-shaped modeling tool give this and the inner surface of the lids a good coating of soft clay4 ,the eyes1 cut from the wire stem on which most of them come1 are pressed into this and the skin worked into place with the point of a big needle or a small awl4 ,now give the plumage a general going over1 re-pin the wings if necessary1 and wind down any obstreperous feathers with thread4 ,a number of pins or wires thrust in the middle of back and breast will help this operation4 ,starting at the head wind back to the tail1 lacing the thread from pin to pin1 not binding tightly with any one thread but producing a smooth surface by holding it down at a multiplicity of points4 ,there are a number of so-called systems for winding birds but the same taxidermist seldom winds two alike as the needs of the case are sure to differ4 ,to spread the tails of small birds1 spread the feathers as desired and pin them between two strips of light cardboard4 ,when dry they will retain their position4 ,if all arranged properly set the bird away to dry2 two weeks will be sufficient for this4 ,illustration3 ,,bird ,,wound ,,with ,,thread4 ,any colors on bill or feet and legs should be renewed with oil colors as they fade almost entirely2 if of a dark or neutral color originally1 a coating of transparent varnish will do4 ,there is a variety of beetle which delights in dining on such hard parts of mounted birds if not protected by paint or varnish4 ,place the bird on its final mount and fasten the leg wires in grooves cut in the under side of same so they are flush with surface4 ,the ends may be turned over and driven in again or held fast by small staples4 ,if on the under side of a limb or branch a pinch of moss or lichen glued on will cover this fastening4 ,cut away the binding threads and with cutting pliers cut off all projecting pins and wires1 leaving what part of them is covered by the feathers4 ,brush any clay from the eyes and if the lids have shrunken away from them as they do usually1 coat a bit of black thread with glue and with a setting needle place between the lids and glass eyes4 ,illustration3 ,,the ,,pose ,,or ,,position ,,of ,,certain ,,birds ,if the eyes were not on hand when first mounted the lids should have been relaxed and the eyes set as soon as procured4 ,small birds may be mounted in fluttering attitudes by pinning the wings with a bunch of cotton beneath them1 but if an attitude with wings fully spread is called for they must be treated in a manner similar to the legs1 inserting the wire under the skin near the tip of the wing and running it along the under side of the wing bones to the body through which it is thrust and clinched as the leg wires were4 ,illustration3 ,,fluttering ,,position ,,of ,,small ,,birds4 ,birds mounted with spread wings cannot be so readily wound to smooth the plumage and require to be braced with strips of stiff paper and sometimes extra wires1 which are removed when dry4 ,illustration3 ,,natural ,,standing ,,position ,,of ,,small ,,bird ,,on ,,limb4 ,,chapter ,x4 ,,mounting ,,large ,,birds4 ,the same principles employed in the manipulation of smaller species apply to this class with but a few variations4 ,on account of their size and weight the artificial bodies need to be especially firm in order to afford a secure anchorage for the wing and leg wires4 ,also these supports should be fastened to the bones in several places with stout cord or small wire1 as wrapping with the tow and thread used on small birds is hardly sufficient4 ,what ,i would class as being large birds are the larger hawks1 owls1 herons1 eagles1 geese1 etc4 ,the several varieties of the ostrich are known as colossal birds and are skinned and preserved much as the large quadrupeds by mounting the prepared skin on a manikin1 built in the pose of the finished specimen and supported by heavy iron rods4 ,illustration3 ,,bird ,,of ,,prey--,,limb ,,position4 ,in mounting eagles or similar birds with wings spread1 which seems to be a popular attitude1 use the largest wires possible as anything less than that will1 on account of their size and wide extent1 tend to a drooping1 back-boneless appearance entirely out of keeping4 ,it goes without saying that large birds do not require the delicate handling of small ones1 but by way of compensation considerable force is needed4 ,illustration3 ,,spreading ,,tail ,,of ,,large ,,birds4 ,run a small sharp wire through the quills on under side of tail to spread it4 ,the combs and wattles of domestic and wild fowls cannot by any common process be prevented from shriveling and discoloring while drying1 but when dry they may be restored by careful modeling in colored wax4 ,this is applied warm with a brush and given its final finish with hot metal modeling tools4 ,for museum work and other high grade work such heads are cast entire in wax in such a way that all feathers and hair are attached in their precise places4 ,large water fowl are often mounted as flying1 and suspended by a very fine wire4 ,a sharpened wire with a ring turned in one end1 thrust into the middle of the back and clinched in the body1 forms a secure point of suspension4 ,as it is not usually practicable to case many specimens of large birds1 give them an extra thorough poisoning and when entirely finished spray with either corrosive sublimate or arsenical solution4 ,in making bodies for large birds it is well to use excelsior for the main bulk of the body1 merely covering the outside with a thin layer of tow4 ,this is not only more economical but makes a lighter specimen than one filled with tow entirely4 ,excelsior or wood wool is to be had in varying degrees of fineness of upholstery dealers4 ,illustration3 ,,spread ,,eagle4 ,,wings ,,braced ,,up ,,to ,,dry4 ,in the case of a bird which has been wired and sewn up seeming to require further filling out1 it can be accomplished in most cases by making an incision under each wing and introducing some flakes of tow with a wire stuffing tool4 ,if the bird is mounted with closed wings this slit need not even be sewed up as the folded wing covers it completely4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,tanning1 ,,cleaning ,,and ,,poisoning ,,skins4 ,i have used the following method for some years successfully on skins up to and including the deer in size4 ,most larger skins need thinning with a special tool1 though an experienced hand can manage to thin a heavy hide with a common draw knife4 ,an empty lard tub1 a half barrel or a large earthenware jar to hold the tan liquor1 a fleshing knife and a fleshing beam are necessary to begin with at least4 ,any smith can make a knife of an old1 large file or rasp by working both sides to a blunt edge and drawing the upper end out in a tang for another handle4 ,a piece of old scythe blade with cloth wrapped around the ends will do1 or a dull draw knife1 either4 ,one blade filed into fine teeth will be useful in removing the inner or muscular skin4 ,illustration3 ,,fleshing ,,knife4 7,made from old rasp7 ,a slab or plank #f or #g feet long1 with one end tapered and half rounded1 on #b or #d legs of such length as to bring the end against the workman's chest1 makes a beam4 ,illustration3 ,,bench ,,beam4 ,a short piece of plank rounded off and bolted to the top of the table or work bench will do for small skins4 ,illustration3 ,,adjustable ,,beam4 ,make up the quantity of tanning liquor you wish by the following formula1 also given in ,chapter ,,iii3 ,water #a gallon ,salt #a quart ,bring to the boiling point to readily dissolve the salt1 and add ,sulphuric acid #a fluid ounce ,allow it to cool before putting in the skins4 ,handle the undiluted acid with care4 ,use common coarse salt and the commercial acid4 ,skins not wanted at once may be left in this pickle for months without injury4 ,about a gallon of pickle to a fox size skin is the correct amount1 but it may be used several times before losing its strength4 ,after the skin is removed from the carcass any blood and dirt is washed from the fur1 the flesh side well salted1 rolled up and left #ab to #dh hours4 ,then thoroughly beam or scrape down the inside of the skin1 removing all flesh1 fat and muscles4 ,skins already dry may be placed either in clear water or tan liquor until they soften up4 ,it takes longer to soften in the tan1 but if put in water it must be watched or the hair will start1 especially in warm weather4 ,a very hard1 dry skin must be soaked and scraped alternately until thoroughly relaxed4 ,when well softened1 treat same as a fresh skin4 ,if very fat or greasy1 soak the skin in benzine an hour1 wring out well1 hang up till the benzine is about evaporated1 then place in the tan4 ,if not very fat the skin need not be put in the benzine first1 but go in the tan at once after being scraped4 ,i use common stove gasoline for benzine2 it is as good for the purpose of cleaning and deodorizing1 and cheaper4 ,it must never be used in the vicinity of fire or a lighted lamp1 as its evaporation produces a very explosive gas4 ,for this reason ,i do the cleaning and beating of furs out of doors if practicable4 ,gasoline wrung out of skins may be saved and1 after allowing to settle1 used again and again4 ,it will not do for the final cleaning of white furs1 but for removing grease before tanning1 it is as good as any4 ,stir the skins about in the tan frequently that all parts may come in contact with the solution4 ,light skins like the fox will tan in #bd to #dh hours2 heavier ones in proportional time4 ,when on pulling or stretching the flesh side1 it whitens1 it is tanned4 ,on taking from the tan1 rinse the skin well in lukewarm water containing a handful of washing soda to the bucketful4 ,wring out with the hands and soak again in benzine for half an hour4 ,wring out of this and clean the fur at once as follows3 ,fill a shallow box part full of clean sand or corn meal which has been heated in a pot or pan over the fire or in an oven4 ,work the skin about in this until the fur is filled with the meal2 then shake or beat it out4 ,repeat the working in meal and beating until the fur is clean and bright4 ,never put a damp skin into the meal without the gasoline bath first1 or you will have the time of your life getting the meal out4 ,regular fur dressers use very fine saw dust1 but meal is to be had anywhere4 ,plaster of paris will do1 but it is most too fine4 ,this treatment with gasoline or benzine removes the grease and animal odors so apt to cling to ,indian or home-dressed skins4 ,after cleaning1 allow the skin to partly dry in the air and shade2 then soften it by stretching1 pulling and rubbing in every part4 ,there is no way to accomplish this without work4 ,a pad made of old bags1 pieces of blanket1 etc41 put on the beam1 the skin placed on that and stretched in all directions with the blunt edge of the fleshing knife is as good as any way4 ,keep up the stretching until the skin is quite dry4 ,if any part should dry out too fast for the operator 7that is1 before it gets stretched7 it can be dampened with water on the flesh side and then treated like the rest4 ,if it is wanted extra soft the skin may be thinned down with sandpaper4 ,if the dressed skin is wanted to lie flat as for a rug1 it can be moistened on the flesh side2 then stretched out and tacked fur side up on a board1 the table top or the floor until dry4 ,if this should cause it to harden or stiffen too much break it again without stretching too much4 ,another very good tanning solution is the following3 ,salt #a quart ,oxalic acid 7pulverized7 #d ounces ,water #b gallons ,dissolve well and immerse the skins1 treating them as already directed1 rinsing in clear water only4 ,it is also best to allow a little more time for tanning in this solution4 ,while on the subject of dressing skins a few words in regard to cleaning furs will be in order4 ,white furs especially that have become soiled and matted from use need cleaning frequently and are brought to the furrier or taxidermist for that purpose4 ,a good washing in gasoline will usually remove the dirt1 then dry out as in dressing furs4 ,furriers often use powdered magnesia for this purpose but almost any finely divided white powder will do about as well4 ,a long siege of beating1 shaking and brushing will be necessary to get the drying powder all out of the fur so it will not sift out on the garments when wearing4 ,if the piece to be cleaned is large 7like a coat or cloak7 the lining should be removed before cleaning4 ,neck pieces and small furs are cleaned with linings1 wadding1 etc41 intact4 ,if the fur is so matted that beating does not fluff it out1 it must be combed1 using a metal fur comb to break up the tangles4 ,charges for this work are based on the time used1 though at least #ge;c4 or #a4jj each is charged for the small pieces4 ,as chemicals exposed to the changes of atmosphere are likely to lose strength in time1 the owners of mounted heads generally take the precaution of having them poisoned against moth at varying intervals4 ,personally ,i think once in three years is sufficient but some prefer to be on the safe side where valuable heads are concerned and have them treated yearly4 ,large heads like buffalo1 moose1 and elk may be poisoned as they hang1 thus obviating any subsequent handling which would be to the detriment of both specimen and operator4 ,heads the size of deer and smaller are readily removed and replaced4 ,first dust the head well and comb the hair or pelt to detect the presence of moth4 ,if loose hairs reveal this the head should be removed to the open air1 unscrewed from the shield and saturated with gasoline1 which will kill both the moth and its eggs1 after which poison against a repetition of the offense4 ,pin an old cloth or newspapers about the neck to protect the shield and wall and spray the entire skin of the head with the diluted arsenical solution as recommended in ,chapter ,,iii4 ,seedsmen sell a sprayer for use on plants which is about the most convenient size1 though the larger size used in the vegetable garden or even a toilet atomizer will distribute the solution4 ,after it has dried wipe off the eyes and nose with a damp cloth and handle as little as possible4 ,the common tariff on such work is for treating a single head not less than #a4jj4 ,two to four at one place1 #ge;c4 each1 and over four1 #ej;c4 ,this for poisoning only4 ,extra charges for killing moth4 ,such work should be done in spring or early summer in the ,central ,states in order to be effective4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,,making ,,animal ,,fur ,,rugs4 ,probably the first use 7after clothing7 made of skins was as rugs or coverings for the ground or couches1 and in this shape they are still to be found in our most elegantly furnished homes4 ,one of the few survivals of primitive tastes4 ,the skins of some few animals such as ,polar and ,grizzly ,bears1 ,tiger1 ,jaguar1 ,lion1 ,puma1 ,leopards and ,ocelots are used for little else1 though some of the spotted cats are used for eccentric looking coats and fur sets4 ,other smaller skins such as wolf1 fox1 'coon1 wild cat1 etc4 are much in favor as rugs as well as for garment furs4 ,in skinning an animal for use as a rug it is as well to skin and stretch it open1 cut under side of body from chin to the end of tail and from each foot down to the central line4 ,a large animal like bear or leopard looks well with the paws preserved and they should be skinned down to the last joint1 leaving the claws attached to the skin4 ,smaller skins may have the paws preserved1 though the effect is hardly worth the trouble and the smaller paws are easily crushed on the floor by a chance step4 ,after skinning1 using care to detach it from the head without mutilating the ears1 eyes and lips1 stretch flat on an inside wall1 door1 or table top4 ,stretch evenly with tacks or small nails close together to avoid drawing out in points and of the approximate shape of the finished rug4 ,that is1 with the front feet well forward and hind feet pointing back1 not spread as wide as possible4 ,if you are intending to dress the skin it may be begun at once after skinning1 as per the chapter on tanning1 etc41 or after fleshing it may be put in the pickle jar against a leisure day4 ,otherwise stretch and dry for transportation or to send to the tanner4 ,illustration3 ,,half ,,head4 ,,head ,,with ,,teeth4 ,,paper ,,head ,,forms--,,fox ,as regards the mounting of heads for rugs1 they may be done in three styles1 called half or mask head1 full head closed mouth1 and full head open mouth4 ,the first1 as the name indicates1 consists of the skin of the upper part of the head without that of the lower jaw mounted over an artificial form or skull4 ,the closed mouth 7,see dog7 has the lower jaw mounted in addition1 but without any teeth used1 and the open mouth mounting requires a set of suitable teeth with the interior of the mouth1 tongue and lips fully modeled and finished either with colored wax or by painting4 ,these artificial head forms or skulls both with and without teeth and masks1 are to be had in all varieties and several sizes each of dealers in taxidermists' supplies so cheaply that ,i would advise the novice to procure them if possible4 ,in many cases it is necessary for the professional to make use of skulls with artificial teeth as the natural skulls are often thrown away by the collector4 ,in the case of any large skin intended for a rug the roughly cleaned skull should accompany same4 ,in ordering from dealers it is only necessary to give name of animal and the measure of skin from center of nose to inner corner of eye1 and outer corner of eye to ear4 ,illustration3 ,,dog--,,closed ,,mouth4 ,the beginner would do well to try mounting a rug with half head first and the more difficult open mouth later4 ,a very fair mask form can be made by laying the skinned head down on a piece of thin board and marking around it with pencil1 then cutting out to the outline4 ,with a bunch of fine excelsior or coarse tow and a spool of thread a half-head form can be roughly blocked out by winding1 using the board as a base4 ,then with modelling clay and chopped tow the anatomy is perfected1 pressing down here with the fingers1 and building up elsewhere4 ,with the skinned head to refer to as the form is modeled a good job can be done4 ,however1 if a number of skins of the same species are to be prepared it is best to make a mould in which unlimited paper forms may be cast4 ,particulars in this work are given in ,chapter on ,casting and ,modelling4 ,illustration3 ,,foundation ,,for ,,tow ,,and ,,excelsior ,the next step in rug making after drying the pelt is to prepare the head for mounting4 ,it is as well to do little or no thinning down of the head skin during the tanning and even if it has been shaved down the vicinity of the eyes1 ears1 nose and lips will need thinning with a small sharp knife1 and stretching out with a skin scraper4 ,before beginning this process the head skin should be dampened on the pelt side with clear water 7use pickle in warm weather74 ,if the ears are not skinned before dressing they should be now1 and turned inside out to the tips4 ,a small screw driver with the edge blunted and rounded is a good tool for this work as it will not readily cut the thin skin of the ears4 ,trim and scrape away any lumps of muscle1 etc41 and shave down the skin enough to be molded to the surface of the form when dampened4 ,do not1 however1 cut away the bunch of muscles on each side of the cheeks in which the whisker roots are embedded1 or these distinguished ornaments will drop out4 ,by criss-crossing these with cuts they are made as flexible as the rest of the skin4 ,after the shaving process get a suitable needle and stout thread and sew up any cuts or tears that have been made4 ,if proper care has been used there will be little of this to do1 always remembering that a cut is not irreparable but always makes extra work4 ,bullet holes of large caliber destroy considerable skin and in order to close them it is best to cut them to a triangular shape and draw together by sewing up from the corners of the triangle1 as per illustration4 ,illustration3 ,,sewing ,,up ,,bullet ,,hole4 ,cut out from tough cardboard two ear forms a little longer at the base than the ear skin and small enough to slip inside them readily4 ,before going further give the inside of the head and neck skin a coat of preservative4 ,let this lay a few minutes to soak in and then after turning the ears right side out slip the cardboard ear forms into place4 ,they should be coated first with liquid glue2 work the skin over them with the fingers and fill around their bases with some cut tow and clay of about the consistency of soft putty4 ,now place the head skin on the form1 get the eyes and nose in place and drive in a few pins down the center of the face2 they will hold it from slipping while working further on it4 ,if the form is a little too short for this particular skin build it out with clay and tow1 if too long it can have a trifle cut off4 ,fill the sockets of the eyes with clay1 build out the cheeks and the sides of nose with clay and tow and draw the skin of the lips down where they belong4 ,the glass eyes are to be cut from their wires and set1 drawing the lids around them with an awl4 ,when they seem properly placed drive pins at both inner and outer corners4 ,the ears are attacked next and when arranged to suit1 three or four pins driven in at their bases to hold them4 ,on a rug the ears should usually be laid back close to the head as by so doing the chance of their being broken off when finished and dry is lessened4 ,also a mounted rug head is usually intended to register rage or anger4 ,the upper surface of the face being attended to1 turn it upside down on a folded bag or something in the nature of a cushion while we lace it across the form with a stout thread and needle4 ,if a hollow paper form is used it should be filled with crumpled paper1 excelsior1 coarse tow or similar material4 ,do not use fur scraps for this as ,i have seen done or it will be a moth nest4 ,the whole inside of the skin may now be poisoned after slightly dampening1 and then tacked out fur side up in the proper shape to dry4 ,in order to make an animal skin lay flat to the floor it is necessary in most cases to cut out several ,v-shaped pieces4 ,behind the fore legs almost always and often in front of them1 also and frequently in front of the hind legs are the places where these gores are removed4 ,consisting as they do of the thinly haired skin inside the legs their absence is not noticeable when neatly sewed up4 ,take care in this final stretching of the rug skin to get it alike on both sides1 or1 as the artists say1 bilaterally symmetrical4 ,when tacked out1 go back to the face and perfect it so it may dry just right4 ,with a fine awl point draw the upper eyelids down a little1 straighten the eye brows1 lashes and whiskers1 and mould the nostrils into shape1 bracing them with damp clay2 when dry it is easily removed4 ,now set it aside until fully dry before proceeding with the trimming and lining4 ,one and a half or two inch wire brads are good to use in stretching skins1 but #c;d wire lath nails will do2 the longer brads are more easily handled4 ,after removing the nails turn the skin on its back and draw a line from neck to tail with pencil or chalk4 ,by measuring from points on this line we can trim off the legs and flanks of the rug evenly4 ,if it is a small or medium size skin it will look best with an all felt lining4 ,so by laying it flat on a piece of felt somewhat larger all round and marking around it at a distance of #c inches we can cut out the lining4 ,the edge of this is to be pinked4 ,one end of our chopping block1 usually of sycamore or oak1 is kept for this function1 and a few minutes work with pinking iron and hammer will border the lining with neat scallops4 ,a sufficient length of felt strips about #b inches wide1 should be cut to reach around the outside of the skin1 also pinked on one edge4 ,allow generously for this as it will have to be gathered in rounding the feet and head4 ,in the case of animals having a bushy tail or brush as the fox1 wolf1 etc41 the tail is merely sewed up on the under side after poisoning and not lined or trimmed4 ,pumas1 tigers and others with short furred tails are trimmed and lined like the rest of the rug4 ,in lining large rugs a double trimming of felt is often used and a lining of strong canvas is used throughout1 as when on the floor it is not visible1 protects the skin as well1 and costs somewhat less4 ,illustration3 ,,pinked ,,lining1 ,,briar ,,stitched4 ,the trimming felt is sewed around the edge of the skin1 passing the needle through from the back obliquely1 resulting in a long stitch on the felt and a short one on the fur side4 ,what few hairs are drawn down by this can be picked out later with a needle or awl4 ,illustration3 ,,sewing ,,trimming ,,on ,,rug4 ,before sewing the lining on an interlining of cotton wadding should be cut out and basted in place with a few long stitches4 ,now place the skin fur side up1 on the lining and adjust it so an equal margin shows on all sides and pin it in several places to prevent its slipping while sewing it fast4 ,to do this turn it felt uppermost and sew around just at the edge of the skin1 in the trimming felt1 reversing the stitch previously used4 ,this hides the short stitch outside and if drawn up evenly will hardly be noticed if a color of thread has been selected corresponding somewhat to that of the felt4 ,if an extra nice finish is desired the lining may be put on with a decorative briar or cat stitch with some bright colored silkatine4 ,brushing away any clay from around the eyes and nose1 giving the latter a touch of the proper color 7black for the majority of animals74 ,a coat of thin shellac to simulate the natural moist appearance and connecting the dried eyelids with the glass eyes with hot colored wax will about complete the rug4 ,waxing around the eyes is done with a small round artist's brush and adds to the finished appearance of a job4 ,in mounting a rug head with either full head1 closed or open mouth1 the beginner had best use a head form from the dealer for a few times at least4 ,a little study of one of these will enable him to model an open mouth head1 when a good set of teeth are supplied1 and the ready made article not at hand4 ,it requires considerable time and some natural ability to set the teeth and model the gums and tongue effectively4 ,a tongue modeled with clay and tow1 covered with several layers of papier mache and when dry1 coated with flesh colored wax is good enough for any rug1 though museum mounting might require that the tongue be skinned and the skin used to cover the model4 ,plaster1 putty1 papier mache and various plastic cement materials are used for modeling mouths1 of which papier mache is probably the best2 plaster paris is often used in an emergency but is brittle and heavy4 ,for modeling use finely ground paper pulp mixed with glue and plaster or whiting4 ,only practice and experiment will determine just the precise mixture wanted4 ,a paper half head form may be the basis and to this wire the jaw bones with their sets of teeth4 ,clever work will reproduce the interior of the mouth1 gums and tongue1 and when perfectly dry they should be finished either with paint or colored wax4 ,the tongue should have its base and lower side coated with glue and have a brad driven through it into the material between the lower jaw bones4 ,if the head of this brad is well set in1 a drop or two of wax will cover it4 ,illustration3 ,,coyote ,,rug1 ,,open ,,mouth 7,author's ,work47 ,in preparing a skin for mounting an open mouth head the lips should be pared down and preserved as far as possible as they are to be filled out and attached to the form by pinning at their edges4 ,common toilet pins are used for this1 driving them in part way and when the work is dry cutting them off close down to the surface4 ,after this is done the lips may be waxed thus joining them to the form completely4 ,never fear to use plenty of pins in head mounting4 ,in some places they may be driven to the head and left covered by the fur1 in other places where there is little or no fur1 cut them close and drive down flush4 ,of course greater liberties may be taken with a rug skin than one mounted entire for exhibition1 still a competent artist can put a great amount of expression in even a rug head4 ,the close student of animal anatomy can produce an appalling snarl of anger on the heads of the larger carnivora or change the same to a sleepy yawn or grin in a few minutes' manipulation4 ,the professional is often called in to repair damaged rugs and especially those with open mouths4 ,here the operator must use his own judgment as no two seem to demand the same treatment4 ,missing teeth may have to be supplied and carved from bone1 celluloid or antlers4 ,the tips of broken deer antlers make very good canine teeth and blocks of celluloid which are much easier to shape than bone1 are sold by supply dealers4 ,i have dwelt at some length on rug making as it is a branch of taxidermy which seems to be always in more or less demand with the public4 ,also it forms an easy entrance to the more complicated mounting of complete animals and much of the work is identical with the process of preserving heads for wall decoration4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,,fur ,,robes ,,and ,,how ,,to ,,make ,,them4 ,while not usually classed as taxidermy the making and repairing of robes will bring in many a dollar to the worker in the middle and northern states4 ,a stitch in time 7on a robe7 often saves more than the proverbial nine1 and the better the quality the more anxious the owner to have it put in good order4 ,the late lamented bison furnished the robe par excellence1 few of which pass through the hands of the taxidermist nowadays4 ,their place has1 in some degree1 been taken by the ,galloway and other cattle hides1 which also make a practically one piece robe of good weight leather4 ,these are too heavy for economical dressing by hand1 but the regular tanning concerns will dress them soft1 pliable1 and clean for a very reasonable price4 ,the regular robe makers do much of their work with the heavy overstitch sewing machines1 but it can be done as well or better by hand at the expense of more time4 ,many of the smaller skins1 as coyote1 raccoon1 fox1 opossum1 and wild cat make up as handsome carriage robes and sell at remunerative prices4 ,skins of an inferior lustre or that are mutilated are often used4 ,for instance1 the skin of the head may be mounted separately and not interfere with using the balance in a robe4 ,for use in a robe skins should be taken off open and stretched in a rectangular shape as near as possible4 ,after tanning1 sew up all cuts and holes in the skins1 dampen the flesh side with clear water and tack out fur side down on the floor1 table top1 or better still on light boards cleated together which may be set on edge against the wall out of the way4 ,in all sewing on rugs and robes be sure and use a substantial thread well drawn up1 fine stitches are not essential but good material is1 as such things come in for a deal of rough use unlike mounted specimens which are1 or should be seldom handled4 ,glovers triangular needles and gilling or carpet thread of suitable sizes are the necessary tools4 ,skins of approximately the same size should be used in making up a robe or the effect will be bad4 ,after stretching and drying1 cut them to rectangular shape1 taking care to get the darker line down the back in the center of each4 ,a good way is to cut a piece of cardboard to the required size and mark around it4 ,gaps in front of and behind the legs may be filled by sewing in small pieces rather than cut down the skins too much4 ,the drawing shows coon skin marked to cut for robe4 ,the skin is poorly stretched yet there are many even worse1 altho trappers are learning to handle the skins in better shape4 ,illustration3 ,,coon ,,marked ,,to ,,cut ,,for ,,robe ,after the necessary number of skins are cut out they are sewed together in rows and the rows in turn sewed to each other like a patchwork quilt1 taking care to have the fur all run the same way4 ,the robe should now be dampened again and stretched and tacked to its full extent to remove any wrinkles and flatten the seams4 ,this sewing is all done from the back of the robe using an even over-hand stitch4 ,just before the final stretching it is well to apply arsenical solution to the damp skins4 ,on drying it is ready for the trimming and lining4 ,sometimes it is necessary to turn over the upper edge of the skins and baste it down or it may show the raw edge of the hides on account of the fur laying all one way4 ,strips of felt #c in4 wide1 pinked on one edge are used for trimming1 and may be had from the dealers1 ready to use1 or we can buy the felt by the yard and easily pink it in the work room4 ,any one doing much robe work would find a pinking machine 7price about #e4jj7 a good investment1 but the small hand iron does just as good work4 ,illustration3 ,,strong ,,hide 7,,cattle7 ,,lap ,,robe4 ,a double border of contrasting colors may be used1 the upper strip of which should be #c_/d inch narrower4 ,the border is sewed on from the back with heavy thread1 using the same stitch as that for the lining rugs4 ,an interlining of cotton wadding is basted in place before the lining is sewed on4 ,plush or beaver cloth is to be had in #ed and #fj inch widths and a variety of colors1 of which the darker greens1 browns1 and blacks are to be preferred4 ,fur robes are usually #dhx#fj2 #edx#ff2 #fjx#gj2 or #fjx#hd inches in size1 so linings of the above widths cut without waste4 ,single cattle or horse hides may be left with the edges merely straightened or they may be cut and pieced to regular robe shape4 ,the bushy tails of such animals as wolf or fox are sometimes used along one side or both ends as a fringe4 ,the number of skins required to make a robe are as follows3 ,raccoon #ab to #bj ,coyote1 wolf or dog #f to #aj ,wild cat #ab to #af ,woodchuck or opossum #bj to #cj ,goat #d to #h ,baby carriage robes of angora or lamb skins are lined with quilted satin and trimmed with felt of some light shade4 ,they usually have either an opening for the head and shoulders or a pocket for the feet4 ,illustration3 ,,coyote ,,lap ,,robe1 #h ,,skins4 ,note tails in center4 ,the natives of ,patagonia make up many robes of the guanaco and vicuna1 dressing the skins and sewing them together with sinew4 ,their dressing is faulty as the skins are apt to stiffen and crack and the sinew hardens with time until it becomes like wire1 though the stitching is wonderfully even4 ,they have1 however1 worked out a scheme of joining the skins in a way to eliminate waste1 that is far ahead of civilized fur workers4 ,a row of skins are joined head to tail and the next row headed the opposite way will fit in perfectly1 the legs being left on the skins4 ,the sketch with this will explain better than any description4 ,the guanaco pelt being of a woolly nature makes it unnecessary to run it all the same way and the entire skins are utilized in spite of their ungainly shape1 the flaps and tabs trimmed off filling the indentations around the outer edge of the robe4 ,they make an excellent camp blanket as light and warm as the malodorous1 hairy rabbit skin robe of ,hudsons ,bay1 and no ,patagonian ranch house bed is complete without its guanaco coverlet4 ,you will likely be called on to repair robes much oftener than to make them and such work is nearly all profit1 as it generally consists in sewing up rips and tears in the skins4 ,never attempt to do this from the front or fur side as it can only be done right from the back4 ,to do this at least one side of the lining will have to be ripped and the robe turned1 turning it back and resewing it on completion4 ,linings are turned under at the edges all around4 ,illustration3 ,,patagonian ,,robe ,,of ,,guanaco ,,skins4 ,worn and soiled linings and trimming often need replacing with new material and it is sometimes necessary to purchase an unlined goat plate to repair robes of that common variety4 ,worn robes can be cut down in size if no similar material is to be had for repairs4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,,mounting ,,entire ,,small ,,fur ,,animals4 ,in ,chapters ,,vi and ,,viii directions are given for skinning and preparing this class of animals for mounting1 so with the skin properly cleaned and poisoned before us the next thing is to cut the wires for a supporting frame4 ,these are six in number usually1 body wire1 tail wire and one for each leg4 ,the body wire is about one-half longer than from nose to base of tail2 tail wire the length of the tail bone and half the body1 and each leg wire twice the length of the leg4 ,i have spoken of using a muskrat for an initial attempt as it is of a convenient size to handle and the length of its fur will hide small defects in the anatomy4 ,most books of instruction select a squirrel for the beginner's victim4 ,it is true it is not as difficult as a hairless ,mexican terrier but it is apt to discourage the learner4 ,an opossum will do very well or any long haired animal of about that size4 ,we will first reconstruct a hind leg and if it is a fresh specimen being mounted without a bath in the pickle we can have the opposite leg in the flesh to guide1 as to proper proportions4 ,the wire is passed through the cut in the bottom of the foot and along the back of the leg bones where it is secured in about three places by tying with small cord4 ,the end is left projecting three inches beyond the end of the upper leg bone4 ,illustration3 ,,hind ,,and ,,front ,,leg ,,of ,,muskrat ,,wrapped ,,ready ,,to ,,clay ,,and ,,return ,,to ,,skin4 ,the muscles and flesh are replaced by winding on tow with stout thread until the approximate size is reached1 when the surface is given a thin coating of clay and the leg is drawn back into its skin4 ,the fore legs are in the same manner built to the joint with the shoulder blade4 ,after sharpening the tail wire to a point it is wound with fine tow and thread and coated with clay until it duplicates the bone and flesh removed4 ,this is slipped into the tail sheath with the unwound end projecting into the body and the slit along the lower side of tail sewed up4 ,after making a ring about the diameter of a 4#bb shell on one end of the body wire place it on your sketch where the hip joint was marked1 letting the wire run lengthwise of the body4 ,another ring similar is made at the shoulder4 ,these form the points of attachment for the legs4 ,illustration3 ,,wiring ,,for ,,small ,,animals1 ,,front ,,leg ,,wires ,,twisted ,,to ,,back ,,wire4 ,the skull1 cleaned of flesh and poisoned1 should have the muscles replaced with tow and the whole coated with clay4 ,force a piece of cork into the opening at the back of the skull4 ,sharpen the end of body wire and force it through the cork and out one of the nostrils4 ,the skull is pushed back along the wire until it reaches the proper distance from the shoulder ring1 when all but an inch or so of the projecting wire is cut off4 ,insert the skull through the body opening and work it up the neck into its place in the head skin1 letting the end of wire go through the nostril of skin also4 ,this will hold the nose in place4 ,adjust the eyes and ears also4 ,now pass the ends of leg wire through the rings from their opposite sides4 ,the tail wire is passed through the rear ring and twisted around the body wire a few times4 ,the ends of leg wires projecting through the ring cross1 so twist them together a turn or two with pliers1 next bring them down and under the body wire1 twisting them together1 first one side of it and then the other4 ,this treatment will fasten the legs and tail also firmly to the body wire4 ,thus we have the skin with head1 tail and legs filled out and the supporting wires fastened together4 ,the remainder of filling1 usually chopped tow1 is placed with fingers1 forceps1 and stuffers4 ,first a good layer next the skin all around1 then part this and fill in the center a little at a time1 first at one end1 then the other4 ,put a good cushion at the hips and shoulders between the wires and the skin and also at the back4 ,fill out the neck well but do not stretch it unduly4 ,begin sewing up at both ends of the opening cut1 drawing a few stitches up and tying the thread while you fill a little more4 ,model the animal into shape from time to time by pressure with your hands and when filled out and sewed up tie the threads together4 ,our animal is now lying on its back with head1 tail and limbs extended2 bend them into some natural position and set it on its feet4 ,it may be well to force a little chopped tow and clay into the bottoms of the feet and draw the cuts in them together with a few stitches around the leg wire projecting from them4 ,a temporary stand of a piece of board supported on cleats at each end is prepared and a number of holes bored for the leg wires4 ,a little experimenting will find the proper place for these when the surplus ends of wire are bent along the bottom of the board and fastened with staples4 ,complete the head and face modeling now1 filling out the cheeks and lips and pinning them in place4 ,work the skin around the eyes and ears into proper place and fasten with pins4 ,fill eye sockets with sufficient clay and set the eyes1 drawing the lids down where they belong4 ,any deficiencies at the back of the head can be filled through the ears4 ,in the case of a muskrat the ears are so insignificant that they only need a little clay and tow forced into them to hold them in place4 ,more prominent ears as those of fox1 'coon1 or wild cat must be filled with a pasteboard form1 cut the proper size and shape1 coated with liquid glue and inserted from the inside before returning the skull to the skin4 ,the ears of all animals should be pocketed when skinned1 that is turned inside out to their tips to admit preservatives and later some filling material which will retain their shape when dry4 ,do not skin out and throw away the ear cartilage but leave it adhering to the skin of the inner side of the ear4 ,without it this skin is very frail and brittle and thorough pickling will prevent shrinkage and distortion of the ear4 ,before leaving the head push it slightly towards the body on the wire and cut same close to end of nose4 ,pull head back to place1 the wire disappears up the nose about #a_/d inch1 then you can shape the nostrils and fill so they will not shrivel up in drying and look as though their owner had been a mouth breather4 ,illustration3 ,,opossum ,,mounted ,,in ,,walking ,,position4 ,if the general pose and appearance seem correct finish up by placing the feet and toes correctly4 ,nothing gives a mounted animal a more trampish1 disreputable appearance than slouchy1 run over feet with toes that don't seem to be on the job4 ,lastly comb the fur out and fluff it up before setting away to dry4 ,animals up to the coyote in size are usually mounted by similar methods to the preceding4 ,sometimes a piece of board is substituted for the body wire1 especially in the larger specimens1 the wires to which are too heavy to clinch readily4 ,the skull is on a separate neck wire and all wires are fastened to the back board by passing through holes and then stapling4 ,of course it is possible to mount small specimens by the same methods most large ones are1 by drawing the skin over a hard filling1 in fact a statuette1 which must be made to fit the skin4 ,this method in the case of small animals requires so much time that it is impossible in ordinary commercial work4 ,strive to put your mounted animals in easy natural poses unless you are making a grotesque1 in which case go the length4 ,clean the eyes and teeth with a brush when dry1 and beat the fur to make it stand out4 ,fasten securely on whatever form of mounting you have decided on1 countersinking the wires on the under side4 ,accessories1 as a piece of food in the mouth or paws1 are added now if they have been prepared for4 ,illustration3 ,,cat ,,sitting ,,and ,,watching ,a slip with record of the specimen written on it and pasted to the under side of stand will usually be appreciated4 ,if the mouth is wanted open it should be braced in that position1 the lips1 etc41 held in place by clay4 ,when it is dry this can be dug out with awls and modelling tools and the tongue1 gums1 and inside the mouth modelled in mache or some plaster composition4 ,the tongue may be modelled in connection with the lower part of the mouth or made separately and fastened in place with a brad and some glue4 ,colored wax1 pink for the inside and black for the lips1 applied hot with a little brush in several coats finish the open mouth4 ,a little black wax will join the eyelids to the glass eyes if they have shrunk away and the inside of the nostrils should be coated with a little pink4 ,bare skin on the end of the nose should be varnished4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,,mounting ,,large ,,animals ,,entire4 ,though at one time nearly all animals were mounted by the soft body or stuffing method as described in the previous chapter1 very few of the larger ones are so treated now4 ,an adequate frame is built in a body of the proper size and proportions1 the surface of which reproduces those muscles lying next the skin4 ,the skin1 well pared down and poisoned1 is sewed1 pinned and glued to this surface4 ,in the small specimen clay was used next the skin in places to perfect the modelling1 but such amounts would be required for a large animal as to affect the durability of the skin4 ,clay and plaster being in a dry state very absorbent1 will eventually rob of all oily matter any skin in contact with them4 ,such skins will crack1 split and finally disintegrate as thoroughly as those having an excess of fat adhering to them4 ,to prevent this a layer of some glue composition or paper is used just beneath the skin4 ,as an example in this mode of mounting a black bear would answer nicely4 ,if the leg bones are attached to the skin they may be unjointed at the toes and laid aside while the skin is well shaved down on its entire inner surface4 ,a thoroughly flexible skin is entirely at the command of the taxidermist1 one stiff or hard cannot be placed or kept in place at will4 ,after beaming1 splitting the lips and nose cartilage1 pocketing the ears and sewing up cuts and tears1 the skin is dropped in the pickle4 ,an outline sketch is made with chalk on the shop floor and on this the bones of the legs are arranged4 ,a stiff wire bent along the back of each set of leg bones will guide us in bending the iron rods used as supports4 ,these should be from #e_/af to #a_/b inch in diameter1 threaded and fitted with two nuts at the lower end and eighteen inches or so longer than the leg bones themselves4 ,of this extra length1 enough is allowed below the feet to fasten to the pedestal1 the balance is bent in a right angle from the end of the upper leg bone4 ,at the distance of the hip joint from the central line of the body it is bent again parallel with the back board2 for a hind leg4 ,the front leg rods are bent in the same way at the joining of the shoulder blade with the humerus or upper bone of the front leg4 ,you will readily see the desirability of preserving at least one set each of the hind and front leg bones4 ,in such case the missing bones can be roughly blocked out of wood to the proper dimensions1 while if none are saved you will have to do the same depending on the skin for measurements4 ,illustration3 ,,frame ,,for ,,bear ,,manikin4 ,the end of the rods lying along the back should be bent again in a ,v shape to prevent their turning when fastened to it4 ,the location of the hip and shoulder joints are marked on one side of the back board1 the rods for that side laid in place and fastened by drilling holes each side of them and passing loops of stout wire through and twisting them tightly on the other side with heavy pliers4 ,the rods for the other side are fastened in the same manner1 in fact they may be fastened with the same wires1 but it will be stronger if the fastenings are separate4 ,the leg bones are bound fast to the rods with wire or twine4 ,holding the back board in the vise by the middle the leg rods with bone attached are adjusted to the position of the finished specimen4 ,the threaded ends which project below the feet are bent straight down4 ,a rough pedestal of boards on #bx#d cleats at each end1 is made1 the frame placed on it and marking where the rods will enter1 bore suitable holes to receive them4 ,one nut is turned up each rod a short distance and after inserting in the holes in the pedestal the others are screwed up tightly from below4 ,our frame now stands alone and rigid and should be viewed from all sides to correct any errors4 ,it should not be too high1 front or rear1 and also having the back-board perfectly vertical or plumb4 ,insert two pieces of rod in the opening at the back of the skull and fasten them there by mixing enough plaster of paris and water to fill the cavity1 to the consistency of molasses and pouring it in around them4 ,the ends of the rods should be bent or roughened to prevent them slipping out after the plaster has set4 ,a surplus of plaster can be placed around the articulation of the jaws1 at the same time holding them in place4 ,these neck rods are to run beside and be fastened to the back-board as the legs were4 ,let one remain straight and fasten it loosely so it may be drawn in and out the loops until the proper length of neck is formed1 then tighten them and fasten the other rod also4 ,before fastening these try the skin over the frame1 making sure it will cover in all directions4 ,a tail wire stapled to the top of the back-board completes the frame4 ,illustration3 ,,bolting ,,leg ,,rods ,,to ,,stand4 ,if two good sized rectangular holes are cut in the back-board just in front of the hind legs and behind the shoulders they will be useful later in shaping the body by sewing back and forth with a mattress needle and cord4 ,drive a row of lath nails into the top and bottom edges of the back-board about half their length at #b inch intervals4 ,they will enable you to build up first one side1 then the other of the body by winding down excelsior with wrapping cord4 ,these nails are driven fully in when the winding is finished4 ,the limbs also are built up by using the same material4 ,do not build up any part to a perfect fit yet1 however1 as we must leave room for a shell of paper #a_/h to #a_/d inch thick4 ,depressions in body and limbs are reproduced by sewing from side to side or drawing down with nails4 ,the neck and skull are built up in much the same way and the skin fitting loosely1 the manikin is surfaced up with a coat of soft modelling clay well rubbed in with a small trowel4 ,the paper coating is to be applied while the clay is still damp so a large specimen must be partly covered with a damp cloth to prevent it drying out prematurely4 ,the paper for this purpose should be of some soft easily pulped variety2 common building paper is good and may be torn in pieces of various size1 soaked in water #ae minutes1 then squeezed out and coated on both sides with paste4 ,this is applied to the surface of the figure1 the edges overlapping slightly1 until completely covered4 ,use paper of a different color for each alternate coat to insure its completion4 ,five or six coats will be sufficient when it may be left to dry1 after which treat it to a good coat of shellac4 ,the skin is withdrawn from the pickle1 rinsed in soda solution1 put through the benzine and meal drying and coated on the entire inner surface with preservative4 ,glue coated ear forms are slipped into place and fastened by long stitches back and forth through the ears4 ,the feet and bases of ears are filled with papier mache pulp and the surface of the manikin coated with liquid glue4 ,now the skin is put on the form to stay1 fastening down the central line of the back with wire brads and drawn together at the junction of legs and body with stout stitches4 ,the legs are sewn up first and the opening cut of the body last4 ,a surplus of skin may be worked out and distributed with the point of an awl1 while it may be pulled and stretched to cover a shortage in another point without changing the animal's form in the least4 ,the ears are pinned in place and their bases distended by tow pressed in with stuffers4 ,pointed wires thrust through the openings of the ears into the skull will hold them in place until dry4 ,the nose1 lips and around the eyes are correctly placed1 filling slightly between the skin and paper if necessary1 use plenty of common pins to hold the skin in place4 ,they are either drawn or cut off flush in short-haired skins when dry1 but in one like the bear they may be driven to the head and left so4 ,any places not inclined to stay put may be clamped down with strips of cardboard pinned on4 ,the glass eyes should be placed now before setting away to dry1 which will require some time4 ,when dry any bare patches of skin will have a dead appearance and require painting with oil colors thinned with turpentine to reduce the gloss4 ,the end of the nose and lips are touched with varnish to produce the natural moist appearance4 ,if mounted with open mouth this is modelled in paper and wax coated as already described4 ,the fur which should have been nicely combed after mounting will need another brushing and the animal is ready for removal to a permanent mount or pedestal4 ,some little judgment can be displayed in this selection as a poor1 rough mounting will detract from the appearance of the best work while a specimen far below the average will pass muster with tasteful and suitable surroundings4 ,the same principles will apply with some exceptions in mounting about all large animals4 ,some of the most ponderous have a hollow wooden frame made to reduce the bulk of filling required2 this is covered with wooden strips or lath and this in turn with a layer of fibrous material4 ,supporting rods more than #a_/b inch in diameter must have both ends threaded and be connected with the back-board by iron squares4 ,these consist of a rectangular piece of iron1 bent at right angles and drilled with a number of holes in both flanges4 ,one set of these is for screwing to the back-board while the others are of a size to receive the upper end of the leg rod4 ,by changing these from one hole to another it is possible to vary the distance somewhat between the front and hind legs without moving the iron squares on the back-board4 ,illustration3 ,,fastening ,,rods ,,to ,,back ,,with ,,iron ,,squares4 ,sometimes the hair will be found missing in one or more places on a finished animal and in such case ,old ,dr4 ,le ,page's ,liquid ,hair ,restorer is the only remedy4 ,the place to be covered is coated with glue and a small tuft of hair from the same or another skin grasped with a forceps1 the base touched with glue and carefully placed4 ,the hair is arranged with a setting needle before the glue hardens1 and though a tedious operation it may be performed so well as to defy detection4 ,another way where the hair or fur is of some length is to procure a patch of the right size with hair matching that surrounding1 shaving the hide thin1 coating the back with glue and pinning on the bare spot4 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,,mounting ,,heads ,,of ,,small ,,animals1 ,,birds ,,and ,,fish4 ,one of the most interesting collections which the average nature lover can make is of the heads of small game4 ,the expense is smaller than where the entire subject is preserved1 they occupy but little room1 and are easily kept in good order4 ,illustration3 ,,wild ,,cat ,,head ,,mounted ,,on ,,shield4 ,heads of small fur bearers are all mounted in about the same way4 ,in skinning split down the back of neck from between the ears to base of neck1 cut around neck in front of shoulders and turn the scalp wrong side out over the head1 put it through the usual pickling1 paring1 cleaning and poisoning4 ,if ears are pocketed and lips split before pickling it may prevent the loss of hair and epidermis1 in warm weather especially4 ,clean the skull if the head is to be mounted with open mouth4 ,if the skull is not to be had1 the teeth are broken1 or you are in a great hurry1 use an artificial form with the interior of the mouth already modelled4 ,enlarge the opening at the back of skull and insert a piece of board not wider than the depth of neck from top to bottom4 ,drill a hole in top of skull and drive a screw into the board into the board inside skull cavity1 prop the lower jaw open the desired distance and fill around its articulations and the base of skull around neck board with freshly mixed plaster of paris4 ,illustration3 ,,fox ,,head ,,skinned ,,and ,,on ,,neck ,,standard4 ,when this hardens the skull with open jaws is firmly fixed on end of neck board4 ,fasten neck board in vise and mark where to saw off1 allowing for a piece of #a_/b inch board shaped like a cross section of the neck4 ,if an artificial form is used1 screw it to the neck board and treat the same otherwise4 ,make the neck short rather than long with the nose lower than the eyes in most cases4 ,build up neck and head by winding on tow4 ,mount and finish the head as directed in rug work4 ,illustration3 ,,leopard ,,head1 ,,artificial4 ,the skin may be fastened at the end of neck by pins or brads driven all around the neck4 ,trim off any surplus with a knife1 cutting from inside the skin to prevent cutting off ends of fur4 ,if a skin has been ripped up the front to the chin careful sewing will make it presentable1 though such seams are hard to conceal4 ,illustration3 ,,hawk ,,head4 ,the heads of birds of prey and the larger game birds show up well mounted and need no special treatment from that generally given4 ,the neck only is made up on a wire1 one end of which is sharpened to thrust through the skull while the other is stapled or clinched to a bit of board round or oval shape4 ,the skin of the base of neck is fastened to this by sewing back and forth across the back4 ,heads of fish like bass and pike are prepared by cutting off just back of the gills and cleaning from the back all brains and flesh4 ,after poisoning1 fill them with tow or cotton1 bracing the mouth open if wanted so and keep in the desired position until dry4 ,then the fibrous filling is removed and they are filled permanently with plaster or paper pulp and a piece of board fastened in the back of head to furnish a hold for screws from the back of the shield or panel4 ,the inside of the mouth will need remodelling with wax and the whole given a coat of white varnish4 ,any bright colors which may have faded should be retouched with oil colors before varnishing4 ,suitable mounts for small heads are in the regular shield and round and oval shapes1 and rustic panels of natural wood4 ,a number of small heads may be mounted on one long panel4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,,mounting ,,heads ,,of ,,large ,,game4 ,mounting heads1 of horned game especially1 is a branch of taxidermy which suffers no diminution in popularity4 ,such work is turned out at the present time in far better shape than it was years ago1 but many fine heads still remain that were gathered in days of abundance of buffalo1 elk and mountain sheep4 ,illustration3 ,,sheep ,,head4 ,in skinning horned heads never open the skin up the front of the neck2 not only are such seams difficult to hide but the skull with antlers cannot be entirely removed from the skin as it should be4 ,to do this open the skin down the center of the back of the neck from just back of the horns to the shoulders or at least half that distance4 ,a neck of medium length is preferable and many a fine head has been ruined by being cut off just back of the ears4 ,connect the upper end of the opening cut with the base of each horn or antler by a short branch making the whole opening of a ,y or ,t shape4 ,turn the neck skin inside out down over the head1 which in case of a deer may rest on the antlers1 until the ears are reached1 cut these off not too close to the head and the horns are next met with4 ,illustration3 ,,skinning ,,horned ,,heads4 ,,cut ,,on ,,heavy ,,lines4 ,work the skin from around the base of these with a dull knife or a small screwdriver blade4 ,with the same tool pry the thick skin away from the frontal bone4 ,when the eyes are reached have a care not to cut their lids1 working closer to the bone than the skin4 ,use the screwdriver again to scoop up the skin from the so-called tear pits in front of the eyes4 ,let all the dark colored skin on the inside of the lips remain attached to them4 ,the skin of the neck is the thickest on the whole animal and must be reduced by shaving4 ,the skin of the whole head and neck should not only be freed from all flesh and muscle but shaved to about one-half its original thickness4 ,for this purpose work on it with a sharp knife or draw shave on a half rounded beam4 ,illustration3 ,,horned ,,heads--,,antelope1 ,,deer4 ,split the lips and remove their fleshy interior1 split the nose cartilage and separate it from the outer skin4 ,with some blunt tool pry the skin of the back of the ear from the cartilage and turn the ears wrong side out to their tips4 ,give the scalp at least #bd hours' pickling or it will be liable to excessive shrinkage on drying4 ,many a fine head mounted green1 without thinning or pickling1 has shrunk and continued to shrink for months1 until all stitches gave way and it cracked and shriveled to an inglorious end4 ,if a paper head form is to be used1 the top of the skull at the base of the antlers is sawn off and the balance of the skull discarded1 the more common method will require the cleaning of the skull with antlers remaining on it4 ,a little boiling will expedite this and by chopping an opening 7#a-a_/b inches wide in case of a deer7 into the lower part of the brain cavity the brain is removed4 ,this opening will also receive the end of a wooden neck standard of plank three inches wide4 ,illustration3 ,,deer ,,skull ,,on ,,standard4 ,a nail through the top of skull will hold it temporarily till the lower jaw bones are placed and the whole held solid by packing the base of skull and jaws in a mass of soft plaster which will harden in a few minutes4 ,this neck standard should be at right angles to the greatest length of the head4 ,measuring the neck skin where cut off gives the circumference of an egg-shaped board1 representing a cross section of the neck at that point in a vertical line4 ,the neck standard is sawed off at the proper place and angle and made fast to the board by nails and screws4 ,with a very short neck it will be necessary to depress the nose considerably that the antlers may not come in contact with the wall4 ,this should all be calculated before fixing the skull permanently on the neck standard4 ,the standard can be held in the vise and a little measuring will indicate the point of attachment and angle needed to clear the wall4 ,illustration3 ,,neck ,,board4 ,now wind excelsior on the neck standard and skull until the skinned head and neck are roughly reproduced4 ,try the skin on occasionally to guide in this4 ,do not put any excelsior on the upper part of the skull and face as no amount of flesh was removed there4 ,give the cheeks a natural fullness and remember the neck was not round like a stove pipe4 ,by sewing from side to side the shape of the gullet and wind pipe can be molded4 ,when the skin is still not quite filled give the head and neck a coating of potter's 7or modelling7 clay and then several coats of well pasted paper as directed for covering manikins for large animals4 ,when this has completely dried out remove skin from pickle1 clean and poison it and after placing the ear forms it will be ready to cover the head and neck4 ,i prefer good cardboard forms for the ears though some use only metal4 ,lead is too clumsy and heavy1 copper and wire cloth corrode1 pure sheet tin works nicely but is expensive4 ,the form should receive a couple coats of liquid glue before the skin is put on to stay4 ,fasten the skin in front of the eyes with a brad and draw into place about the base of the antlers4 ,use a heavy needle and waxed linen cord for this sewing4 ,heavy gilling twine doubled will do4 ,sew up from first one and then the other antler to the central cut down the back of the neck1 tie the threads together and continue sewing down the neck4 ,get the skin on face and around mouth placed1 then draw the neck skin tight and nail to the edge of the board with finishing brads an inch or more long4 ,any surplus remaining can be trimmed away4 ,a square of rough board1 screwed on the end of the neck1 will enable it to stand on the bench with nose up while the final touches are put on the anatomy of the head and face4 ,illustration3 ,,paper ,,head ,,and ,,ear ,,forms4 ,the split lips filled with a little clay are placed and will usually stay without pinning if the lower lips are tucked under where they belong4 ,fill the end of the nose and around the nostrils nicely1 no live deer ever had a shriveled up nose4 ,fill under the eyebrows as the skin there was quite thick before paring4 ,set the eyes1 after filling sockets with clay4 ,a little work with a sharp awl will put the lids in place with lashes disposed aright4 ,if the ears have not been permanently fixed1 do so now filling out their bases with stuffers and thrusting stout wires into the head to keep them set until dry4 ,a few stitches are taken to hold the skin of both sides of the ears together1 when dry they are removed4 ,brush the hair down and if it persists in rough spots1 paste them and then smooth down4 ,when dry the comb and brush will remove the scales of paste readily along with any dirt from the hair4 ,when dry clean the antlers and oil them lightly1 brush out the hair and clean all clay from eyes and nose4 ,connect the eyes and lids with black wax1 model the inside of nostrils with cream or pink wax and varnish the end of nose and any bare lip that may show4 ,pins and brads that will show are drawn out and others cut off level with the skin4 ,the head which has hung drying on the rough board may be removed to a finished shield as complete4 ,illustration3 ,,finished ,,head4 7,author's work47 ,the paper form method has numerous advantages but is not always convenient to procure4 ,it will save the beginner much tedious work and greatly expedite matters for the professional4 ,these forms as supplied by dealers are of the entire head and neck4 ,by cutting off the neck at the proper point1 nailing in the neck board and screwing the plate of bone at the base of the antlers to a block in the top of head it is ready to receive the skin4 ,it will require but a short time for the skin to dry on this foundation so the finished head is often ready to return at the end of a week4 ,illustration3 ,,paper ,,head ,,forms ,,for ,,elk ,,and ,,deer ,,heads4 ,for a number of years ,i have used a modification of this process4 ,in this the form is cast in halves which are joined on a board cut to the outline of the head and neck4 ,this will afford a secure attachment for the antlers and in addition the skin of the neck may be nailed securely each side of the opening cut1 making any ripping or opening by shrinkage at that point forever impossible4 ,these paper forms may be bought or made in various sizes1 so by the addition of a small amount of some modelling material any skin is fitted4 ,with a supply of them on hand work can be turned out rapidly during the busy season4 ,these directions for mounting will apply equally in case of moose1 elk or other large game heads1 always providing supports adequate for the larger animals4 ,a mounted head with insufficient and wabbly mechanical construction is not a joy forever4 ,the head of a common sheep or ram is a good one for the beginner1 as its coat of wool covers small defects4 ,it is a convenient size to handle and if not entirely successful no great expense has been incurred4 ,on the other hand a fairly mounted ram's head is quite ornamental and suitable1 especially on the wall of a country house4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,,mounting ,,horns ,,and ,,antlers4 ,a neatly mounted set of antlers or horns are an ornament anywhere1 in the home1 office or public room1 and in case any one of the out-o'-door fraternity wishes to try setting up a pair1 ,i will give a few simple directions and hints which may be helpful4 ,some bits of lumber1 screws1 plaster of paris1 plush or leather1 tacks1 etc41 are about all the materials needed2 also a one-fourth inch drill bit to make the necessary holes in the frontal bone4 ,by sawing off the top of the skull down to the eyes we separate the antlers and the frontal bone on which they grow1 from the rest of the skull4 ,care should be taken to leave the same amount of bone on each side1 so the antlers will be the same distance from the wall4 ,for antlers of small or medium size eastern deer1 cut a heart-shaped block about #dx#e inches from a piece of soft #g_/h-;inch board4 ,the edges of this should be slightly beveled toward one side4 ,this may be cut out in its finished shape with a keyhole saw1 or roughed out with a hand saw1 and trimmed up with a draw knife or wood rasp4 ,after drilling two or three holes in the plate of bone attached to the antlers1 arrange them evenly on this block and screw fast1 using screws which will not protrude from the back of the block4 ,if the bone is uneven or the antlers do not hang right1 small pieces of wood may be inserted at one side or the other until the desired effect is had4 ,now put a half pint of water in some old dish and mix in plaster of paris until it is like very thin putty4 ,with an old knife you can spread this over the bone and round it up nearly to the burr of the antlers4 ,illustration ,if the first mixing is not enough1 mix a little more1 for if too much plaster is put on anywhere it can be easily scraped off before it gets dry4 ,this needs to be put on quickly as the plaster soon sets or hardens and in fifteen or twenty minutes it can be scraped and trimmed to a smooth1 rounding surface4 ,for covering this wood and plaster base1 plush1 soft leather or pantasote is used4 ,plush or velvet is the easiest to apply for a beginner4 ,a piece about nine inches square will do for our set of small antlers4 ,lay this on the plaster and turning it over the edge of the block1 tack it on the back with carpet tacks1 beginning in the center1 at top and bottom4 ,slit in each side to the antler and cut a hole large enough to be a snug fit for the antler below the burr4 ,draw on and tack1 getting the wrinkles out as you proceed1 the lower1 or front part1 first4 ,lap the upper or back over it neatly at each side1 turning the edges under and fastening them with a few stitches4 ,it is a good plan to drive the tacks only part way at first1 then they can be easily drawn and re-arranged4 ,now cut two strips of the material to go around below the burr of the antlers4 ,turn the edges of these under1 draw them tightly around and fasten the ends together back of the antlers with a few stitches4 ,they are now ready for fastening on a shield or panel4 ,cattle horns should have the piece of bone connecting them screwed to a long oval block1 then treated similarly4 ,horns of sheep1 cattle and goats frequently come loose from the bony core4 ,a little plaster mixed very thin and poured inside the horn just before replacing them will fasten them on again4 ,do not try to polish1 paint1 gild or otherwise improve the natural appearance of deer antlers4 ,wash and clean them well and rub in a little linseed oil4 ,polishing brings out the beauty of horns of cattle and bison1 if the operator is lavish of elbow grease4 ,the process is this3 ,fasten the horns firmly somewhere and attack first with rasp1 then file1 scrape with glass1 fine sandpaper1 finer sandpaper1 powdered pumice stone1 putty powder4 ,finish with oiled rag4 ,old bison horn1 weathered on the prairies till they resemble old roots1 can be made to look like polished ebony by the above formula4 ,don't forget to add the elbow grease1 though4 ,illustration3 ,,bolting ,,shed ,,antlers ,,to #b x #d ,,block4 ,shed antlers are a different and rather difficult proposition4 ,it is a tedious job to drill them and insert heavy irons in their bases so firmly as to prevent turning4 ,often they are cut off at a bevel1 drilled and screwed directly to the shield with brass round headed screws4 ,by drilling into the base of a shed antler1 above the burr1 in a diagonal direction it may be bolted to a short piece of #bx#d scantling4 ,fasten both antlers on this in a natural position in relation to each other1 then drill a second hole in each and bolt them fast1 using machine bolts and countersinking the heads in the antlers by chiseling4 ,illustration3 ,,shed ,,elk ,,antlers ,,to ,,be ,,mounted4 ,from ,national ,zoological ,park ,washington1 ,d4 ,c4 ,the piece of scantling will need to be carved a little in order to get a good bearing for the butt of the antlers4 ,this artificial forehead1 as we might call it1 is to be fastened to a heart-shaped block by nailing or screwing from the back and covered as directed before4 ,if the countersunk bolt heads are carefully modelled over with putty or mache and colored like the antlers no one will know they are not attached to a 'bony' fide forehead4 ,elk antlers will need #e_/af inch bolts1 while #a_/d inch is sufficient for most deer antlers2 indeed screws of that diameter will hold a small pair quite securely4 ,sometimes the upper part of the skull is scraped1 bleached and fastened entire to the shield with brass screws or bolts4 ,the base block for large deer antlers should be thicker and larger in proportion4 ,elk and moose antlers requiring to be fastened with heavy coach or lag-screws to a block cut from two-inch plank4 ,africa has a profusion of horned game mostly of the antelope family and of late years many of these horns find their way to the walls in this country4 ,they are mounted as directed for the deer with the exception that many of them are improved by polishing the tips or even nearly the entire length of the horns4 ,as most of them are corrugated or twisted in great variety this calls for considerable preliminary work with half round and round rasps and files before sandpaper1 glass and polishing powders give a finish4 ,if the tips and the higher surfaces of the balance are completely polished1 the rest smoothed down somewhat and the entire horns rubbed with a little oil the effect will be good4 ,illustration3 ,a ,good ,shield ,pattern ,illustration3 ,back of block ,shields are made in various patterns1 woods and sizes1 the average pair of deer antlers requiring one #g_/h inch thick and about #hx#aj or #ajx#ab inches4 ,oak in a dull oil finish always looks well1 though walnut1 cherry1 ash and birch are much used4 ,if near a woodworking shop provided with a jigsaw and moulder they will turn them out in any pattern you may wish4 ,the ,ogee moulded edge is to be preferred4 ,if you have to make it yourself1 a simple diamond1 square or oval panel with rounded or beveled edge will be sufficiently difficult4 ,arrange the antlers in place on the shield and mark lightly around the base1 remove them and drill three holes for screws4 ,countersink for the heads on the back of the shield and so fasten the antlers in place4 ,for light horns a brass screw-eye at the top of shield is used to hang them1 but heavy moose and elk antlers require an iron plate in back of shield1 let in flush across the top of a perpendicular groove to catch a hook or head of a heavy nail in the wall4 ,illustration3 ,,deer ,,antlers2 ,,elk ,,feet2 ,,bison ,,horns4 ,if the antlers are to be used as a rack for hats1 guns or rods1 two screw-eyes or plates will be necessary to prevent turning4 ,there are other methods of mounting horns and antlers1 but ,i have found the above to be the most substantial and neat1 and not very difficult4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,,mounting ,,feet ,,and ,,hoofs4 ,many sportsmen now preserve the feet of their large game to have them made up in various articles of use and ornament which they can distribute among their friends or use in their own homes4 ,some of these articles are gun and rod racks1 furniture legs and feet1 ink wells1 match1 cigar and ash holders1 thermometers1 paper weights1 umbrella and cane handles4 ,illustration3 ,,wooden ,,crook ,,for ,,deer ,,foot4 ,it goes without saying that for such things as racks1 furniture legs1 handles and thermometer mounts the leg skin attached to the hoof should be left six or more inches in length while for ink wells1 etc41 it may be shorter4 ,illustration3 ,,skinned ,,deer ,,foot4 ,illustration3 ,,deer ,,foot ,,ink ,,well4 ,in fairly cool weather the feet and lower legs of deer will keep for some days without skinning as they contain but a small amount of flesh4 ,still it is safest and but the work of a few minutes to split them up the backs1 skin down to the toe joints and cut them off there4 ,dry them with or without salting and they are easily packed up to carry home or send to the taxidermist4 ,if one foot and shank is received in the flesh it will aid in mounting them up as racks1 furniture legs1 etc41 as for such purposes the skin is mounted over a piece of wood of the size and shape of the skinned leg4 ,for preparing feet for racks and handles it is well to supply yourself with a number of natural crooks of about the size of a deer's leg and nearly of a right angle4 ,sassafras1 gum or some soft wood work up easiest4 ,when skinned place in pickle or give foot coating of arsenic and alum--pickle is best4 ,be sure and leave enough skin attached to hoof2 a little experience will teach you this4 ,now remove foot from bath1 rinse well and sew up same as far as the claws2 next bore a hole through the claws from inside of claws1 where it will not show4 ,get two wire nails and nail these claws to a board1 as shown in ,a4 ,now arrange the hoofs as shown in illustration and put a screw into each from underneath1 to hold them down 7,b71 or you can nail a cleat across them by nailing to the block on each side of hoof2 the idea is to get these parts firmly placed in position4 ,now finish sewing up the skin and stuff it full of chopped excelsior1 shaping the foot as you proceed4 ,now drive a long nail against back side of foot to keep it from sagging 7,c74 ,allow the foot to thoroughly dry4 ,illustration3 ,,deer ,,foot ,,thermometer4 ,when dry remove excelsior and cut off surplus skin around top and the foot is ready for an ink well1 match safe1 ash tray or paper weight1 as they all go on the same way4 ,mix up some plaster of paris in water and run the foot full and place the ink well or other fitting in place and allow the plaster to set and the foot is finished4 ,if you wish a pen rest you can now place it in position4 ,in setting up thermometers remove bone to hoof and whittle out a stick shape of bones removed4 ,coat inside of skin with arsenic and alum and place stick in position and sew up skin4 ,put on metal cap at top and tack on thermometer4 ,for hooks on racks1 work up a stick with crook into the approximate size and shape of the deer's leg with the foot bent at right angles4 ,it had best be a little small so it can have a coating of clay or other modelling material to make the skin fit it perfectly4 ,sew up as for thermometer4 ,when dry fasten to the rack by inserting in a square or oval hole and wedging at the back4 ,for furniture legs the feet are turned out in natural position on wooden legs1 and fastened by bolting or screwing to small tables1 stools1 or screens4 ,as handles for canes and umbrellas1 treat the same as for hooks and leave the wood long to form a dowel which is glued or inserted in cane or umbrella1 a metal band covering the end of the skin4 ,i have referred in this chapter to deer feet1 but those of elk1 caribou and moose are also used and suitable fittings in nickel and silver plate are supplied in various sizes by dealers4 ,illustration3 ,,deer ,,foot ,,hat ,,rack4 ,if you wish the hoofs mottled 7they look best that way7 file same until you get to the quick1 which is light in color and gives the foot a very attractive appearance4 ,smooth down with sandpaper or edge of glass4 ,oil a rag and dip it in powdered pumice stone and rub hoof vigorously a few moments1 and you will have a beautiful polish4 ,the smaller articles are complete as they are or may be mounted1 ink wells1 etc41 on round1 and thermometers on long panels of variously finished woods4 ,many nice articles may thus be made from what is usually considered worthless offal4 ,illustration3 ,,moose ,,foot ,,jewel ,,case4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,,mounting ,,fish4 ,these with reptiles are most difficult to preserve with any success by the ordinary methods4 ,there are some individuals which it is impossible for the taxidermist to prepare the skins of1 so as to retain a natural appearance for any length of time4 ,they can only be represented by casts painted to the best of the artist's ability4 ,most of the varieties of medium and large game fishes can be mounted by the average taxidermist and it is with these we are mostly concerned4 ,there are almost as many methods of mounting fish as there are operators1 each having some pet kink of real or fancied superiority4 ,as often as otherwise fish are mounted in the medallion style1 with one side only showing4 ,this is especially adapted to display on walls and panels4 ,for filling material everything from sawdust to plaster has been employed but as good results as any are secured by a hard core of the approximate size of the skinned fish1 coated with some plastic substances which is moulded into shape through the skin4 ,in skinning some fish the scales must be protected by pasting thin paper over them but ordinarily it is sufficient to keep the skin wet and not allow it to dry out until it is complete4 ,a piece of oil cloth is good to work on in skinning fish or birds either4 ,some taxidermists have a large pane of glass set flush in a table top for this purpose4 ,illustration3 ,,fish ,,bedded ,,in ,,sand ,,with ,,plaster ,,mould ,,of ,,upper ,,half4 ,with a freshly caught fish at hand which is to be made into a medallion the process is about as follows3 ,before skinning lay it flat on one side on a piece of soft wood board of the proper thickness and mark out its outline4 ,though only one side of the mounted fish shows1 a little more than precisely one half is preserved in order to include the tail1 the vertical and dorsal fins and also to give an appearance of rotundity4 ,leaving this margin all around1 the skin is cut away from the side which1 on account of damage or other reason1 is selected for the back4 ,the head must be cut through with chisel or a fine saw4 ,severing the bones at the base of the fins with the scissors the whole body is removed by cutting the spinal column at its junction with the skull4 ,in skinning fish you will note a white layer1 like tin foil1 which gives the fish its silvery color4 ,do not disturb this if possible4 ,remove all surplus flesh1 cut away the gills and interior of head and if at all greasy 7what fish is not7 treat to a bath in gasoline4 ,use absorbent1 sawdust or meal to remove oily gasoline1 drop in alcohol or formaldehyde solution while the body is prepared4 ,to do this cut out the board by the outline on it with a short bevel on the back and the other side the full shape of the fish4 ,the whole form is slightly diminished1 however1 to allow for a coating of clay4 ,this is applied after the skin has been removed from the solution and poisoned4 ,when a good fit is secured the skin is fastened in place by sewing from top to bottom1 across the back board1 or if large1 nailing the edges to the board4 ,the fins which have been kept wet are to be spread2 each clamped with two pieces of pasteboard4 ,on very large fish spring clothes pins may be used to clamp the fins1 for small ones pins forced through both thicknesses1 outside the fins4 ,sponge the fish off carefully to remove all clay or other dirt and give it a coat of rather thin white varnish4 ,this prevents the scales curling up and to some extent fixes or restores the colors of the fish4 ,the eye is set after the fish is dry and if it does not fill the socket1 model around it with wax or paper pulp4 ,fish eyes vary so greatly that to strictly copy nature you had better use the uncolored fish eyes1 painting the back with suitable oil colors with a coat or two of shellac over it to prevent the clay in which it is set from affecting the paint4 ,the final painting of a mounted fish which is necessary to complete the best work is a task for an artist4 ,if a specimen in the flesh 7living if possible7 is at hand this is made easier4 ,all fish skins collected should be accompanied by color sketches if possible4 ,all silvery fish should be coated with size and nickel leaf over their entire scaly surface4 ,on this ground paint with thin oil colors4 ,if the paint is not too thick the desired silvery sheen will show through4 ,if the whole fish is dark no leaf is needed and in some cases the upper part of the body requires a gold ground with the nickel leaf on the silvery under parts4 ,japanese gold paint or something similar will do for a golden ground4 ,the finished medallion may lie flat in a case1 be fastened on the face of a panel1 or hung by a loop at the mouth or center of back4 ,panels of natural wood are a favorite mount and framed panels covered with plush or the imitation pebbled upholstery leather4 ,another method of mounting medallions is to take a plaster mold of the display half of the fish and from it make a plaster cast like the back board4 ,this is sandpapered down to allow for the skin and gouged out at the bases of the fins and tail4 ,the head too is not reproduced on the cast4 ,illustration3 ,,medallion ,,fish1 ,,paper ,,backing1 ,,board ,,back1 ,,excelsior ,,between4 ,when the skin is ready to apply1 coat this plaster cast with some nonporous modelling material4 ,a mixture of thin liquid glue and whiting is good for this4 ,some paper pulp is put inside the head and at the junction of body and fins4 ,shape from the outside with the fingers4 ,a piece of wood should have been placed in the back of the plaster cast when making same1 in order to fasten to a panel by screws from the back4 ,paint the wood with melted paraffin before putting in the wet plaster or it may swell and subsequently shrink enough to crack the cast4 ,by either of the preceding methods the entire fish can be mounted if desired4 ,the opening cut should be made from head to tail along the lower edge of the body in most scale fish and will require some neat modelling to hide as both sides are to be on exhibition4 ,entire fish are usually supported by metal standards rising from a wooden base4 ,such standards are preferably of brass1 threaded and fitted with nuts and rosettes at both ends4 ,two nuts at the lower end clamp the base and with the upper end inserted in the back board1 the upper nut will adjust the fish at the right heighth4 ,the rosettes cover the nuts and add a finished appearance4 ,especially adapted to tarpon and other ponderous fish are medallions mounted on paper4 ,to do this a half mould is made as described1 the skin removed1 cleaned1 poisoned and replaced in the mould4 ,then it is backed up with numerous layers of soft paper1 well pasted and pressed in with the hands4 ,let these layers of paper overlap the mould at least as much as the margin of skin left on the back4 ,when a sufficient thickness is attained fill the hollow form loosely with crumpled paper or excelsior and fit in place a back board of light wood4 ,nail through the margin of skin and paper into the edges of this4 ,if a number of large holes were made in the back board it will expedite the drying out4 ,when partly dry1 remove from the mould1 painting and finishing as before when completely dry4 ,by this means the contour of large fish is absolutely reproduced and the finished work is extremely light and durable4 ,many of the smooth skinned fishes are impossible to mount satisfactorily1 a cast is the best we can do for them4 ,when using a living fish as a guide in painting1 it may be confined in an aquarium and by sliding a wire screen partition1 be kept just before the artist's eye4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,,mounting ,,fish--,,baumgartel ,,method4 ,some years ago ,a ,practical ,method of ,fish ,mounting was advertised by ,mr4 ,baumgartel in ,angling and ,sporting publications4 ,entire satisfaction was given to those who studied and applied the lessons1 through correspondence school methods4 ,both the author and publisher of ,,home ,,taxidermy ,,for ,,pleasure ,,and ,,profit1 are indeed glad to publish the entire course as used by ,mr4 ,baumgartel1 including diagrams1 figures1 etc41 as same together with copyright was conveyed to ,a4 ,r4 ,harding4 ,the same degree of excellence in mounting fish has not been so generally attained as in other branches of the taxidermy art1 and this ,i believe is because an equal amount of study has not been given the subject4 ,hundreds can mount birds well to one who can prepare fish in as skillful a manner1 although the mounting of fish dates from as early a period in the art of taxidermy4 ,it is a question of method and the right one4 ,the usual methods of mounting fish have proven so unsatisfactory that they have been almost entirely abandoned1 and1 until the method to be described was devised1 it was necessary to place specimens in alcohol or other preserving liquids or to make plaster casts of them4 ,the objections to the former process are that it is expensive1 requiring especially constructed jars to show the specimens without distortion4 ,they usually lose all their natural colors1 and in most cases shrink to such an extent as to give only an approximate idea of their original form4 ,there are also serious objections to the latter method4 ,plaster casts are easily broken and certain parts1 such as the interior of the mouth1 cannot readily be produced4 ,further1 it is not desirable in natural history collections to exhibit casts of the objects when the originals can be displayed4 ,then1 too1 the sportsman does not care for a cast of his ,big ,fish1 but wants the real thing to verify history of the one that didn't get away4 ,to me a plaster cast of an object that can itself be preserved is about as interesting as a nicely painted decoy duck compares with a well-mounted skin4 ,as is the case with nearly every taxidermist1 professional as well as amateur1 ,i have always been an enthusiastic sportsman4 ,the desire to preserve the specimens taken by me led me to devote myself to the study of taxidermy4 ,perhaps the dilatoriness of the artist who mounted my first specimens had a stimulating effect4 ,later1 as a professional taxidermist1 ,i for many years mounted fish by means of the various methods1 but the results obtained were not satisfactory to me4 ,in #aijc ,mrs4 ,baumgartel and ,i made a trip to ,pine ,river1 ,michigan1 for trout4 ,it was in ,june4 ,the weather turned cold1 and we took few fish4 ,on the twelfth ,i made what was to be my last cast1 had taken down my rod and was walking along the bank of the river on my way to camp1 when at the edge of a pool ,i noticed a fish jumping4 ,i could not resist the temptation to try one more cast1 and making preparations ,i dropped a ,parmachene ,belle a few inches from the spot where the fish had just broken the water4 ,there was a rise1 a strike1 and ,i was fast to a fish destined to be mine4 ,after an exciting struggle1 ,i landed a thirteen-inch grayling weighing one pound and two ounces4 ,of course1 this fish ,i had to preserve and wanted it to look as it did when taken from the net4 ,we boarded the train for home that evening1 and supplying my wife with reading matter1 ,i was soon lost in meditation4 ,the madam told me many times during the journey home that ,i was not at all companionable4 ,be that as it may1 the result of the earnest study given the matter1 and the previous experience gained in experimenting with other processes1 was that a practical method of mounting fish was devised1 a method by means of which the angler can successfully mount his own specimens4 ,necessity is the mother of invention1 you know4 ,a picture of this grayling is given below4 ,it still occupies a position in our dining room1 together with others to remind us of pleasant days on lake and stream4 ,it is mounted with the very fly and leader on which it was taken4 ,illustration3 ,,grayling--,,result ,,of ,,my ,,first ,,experience ,,at ,,fish ,,mounting4 ,for the past four years ,i have successfully taught my method by correspondence4 ,a few years ago activities in other directions compelled me to give up taxidermy work1 and other interests now demanding more of my personal attention1 the publisher of this book1 always on the alert for something of practical value to interest his readers1 will present to you in these pages the identical instructions ,i have so successfully used4 ,i take the liberty of quoting verbatim from a letter just received by me from a friend of a prominent eastern professional man1 one who1 while chained to business1 still finds time to get close to nature for a season each year3 ,referring to the fish mounted on our ,newfoundland trip3 ,i may say that it was our first experience and we were agreeably surprised at results4 ,in all there were ten specimens of salmon1 sea-trout and brook-trout mounted and we found no great difficulties4 ,all the work was accomplished in an old barn after we got home evenings and early mornings before going out4 ,the only obstacle we encountered was getting the fish back to the states in good shape4 ,five of the specimens now occupy prominent place in the ,doctor's den and ,i am always pleased to point out to friends the results of our labors4 ,you can do as well4 ,,instruments4 ,knife4 ,needle and thread4 ,saw1 fine toothed4 ,scalpel4 ,scissors1 straight and curved4 ,shears4 ,skin scraper1 not the toothed-edge4 ,tweezers4 ,one can get along with simply a jack-knife1 pair of shears1 and needle and thread2 but to do first-class work easily1 good tools are required4 ,,materials4 ,alcohol4 ,aluminum leaf4 ,arsenic1 powdered4 ,clay1 potters' or modelling4 ,eyes1 glass1 clear except pupils4 ,papier mache1 prepared4 ,pine board4 ,pins4 ,plaster1 calcined4 ,tube paints4 ,varnish1 clear white4 ,brushes4 ,,preliminary ,,instructions--,try first a perch or other fish having scales firmly attached4 ,see that the fins and tail are uninjured1 and that no scales are missing from the side to be displayed4 ,as every perfectly formed fish has both sides alike1 and as ordinarily but one side can be seen at a time1 only a little more than one half of the fish is to be mounted4 ,note carefully the colors 7including those of the eye and the interior of the mouth7 of the freshly caught fish1 making a sketch of the specimen1 showing the extent of the different colors and markings1 the spots1 if any1 and the eye4 ,the pupil is not usually round4 ,the eye of a lake trout appears like ,fig4 #a4 ,a carefully kept note book is a valuable aid4 ,illustration3 ,fig4 #a ,eye of ,lake ,trout ,while the tail is of course a fin 7the caudal71 in this work it will be called the tail1 to distinguish it from the other fins4 ,see ,fig4 #b for key to the names of the fins4 ,illustration3 ,,fish ,,in ,,mould4 7,fig4 #b47 ,names of fins3 ,d--,dorsal1 ,a--,adipose1 ,c--,caudal 7tail71 ,p--,pectoral1 ,v--,ventral1 ,an--,anal4 ,,the ,,mold4--,wash the fish in water to remove dirt and mucus4 ,on a board somewhat longer and wider than the fish1 place a sufficient amount of moist sand in which to imbed the specimen to one-half its depth when lying on its side in the desired position4 ,level the sand and hollow it out for the larger part of the body4 ,large fish should be displayed straight1 with the mouth closed or only slightly open4 ,smaller and more graceful ones may be shown in positions of activity2 rising to fly1 breaking away1 etc4 ,if the mouth is to be open1 fill it with cotton or cloth in order to keep out the plaster4 ,place the fish in the position you wish it to have when mounted1 the side to be displayed uppermost4 ,see that the dorsal and anal fins1 and the tail1 lie flat on the sand1 and that one-half the body appears above the sand its entire length4 ,there must be no uneven places4 ,viewed from the end1 it should appear like ,fig4 #c2 from the side1 like ,fig4 #d4 ,illustration3 ,,end ,,view4 7,fig4 #c7 ,illustration3 ,,side ,,view4 7,fig4 #d7 ,heap up the sand all around1 about an inch from the fish1 to prevent the plaster flowing off the board4 ,mix a sufficient amount of plaster to cover the fish to a depth of about half an inch1 covering the fins and tail as well as the body4 ,mix the plaster by stirring a little at a time into cold water until it has the consistency of cream4 ,place the pectoral and ventral fins flat against the body4 ,pour the plaster over the fish slowly and evenly 7covering the head1 tail and edges first71 allowing it time to dry until quite hard1 perhaps thirty to forty minutes4 ,then turn the mold over 7it will appear like ,fig4 #b7 and1 by inserting the fingers in the gills1 carefully remove the fish4 ,lay the mold aside for a time4 ,wash all sand and plaster from the fish4 ,illustration3 ,,incisions ,,to ,,be ,,made4 7,fig4 #e7 ,,skinning ,,the ,,fish4--,if the fish has scales easily dislodged1 wrap it1 with the exception of the fins and tail1 in several thicknesses of tissue paper1 which will readily adhere to the moist skin4 ,lay the fish on your table1 on the side which was covered by the plaster and place wet cloths on the fins and tail to prevent drying4 ,commence at the gills and make two cuts with the scissors or scalpel lengthwise of the fish to the tail1 cutting into the abdominal cavity below1 joining these cuts 7see ,fig4 #e71 removing the strip of skin1 including the pectoral fin1 with adhering flesh1 and the contents of the cavity4 ,with the fingers1 or tweezers1 grasp the cut edge of the skin of the back and with the scalpel carefully separate it from the flesh as far as the middle line of the back from the head to the tail4 ,remove the exposed flesh to the backbone4 ,with the knife1 shears or fine tooth saw1 split the head lengthwise a little to one side of the middle1 leaving somewhat more than half4 ,do not sever the skin of the body where it comes to a point between the gills1 and use great care when removing the flesh from this portion4 ,you now have a trifle more than one-half the fish to work on4 ,with the scissors cut through the ribs and remove the backbone with some of the flesh4 ,be careful when cutting through the backbone at the tail not to cut through the skin below4 ,going back to the head1 remove the remaining flesh1 and with the curved scissors and scalpel cut away all the cartilage possible from the head2 the more the better so long as the skin is not injured4 ,if enough of the cartilage can be removed to expose the muscles of the cheek from the inside1 cut them away1 taking out the eye2 otherwise it will be necessary to work from the outside of the skin through the eye opening1 and this must be done very carefully or the skin of the cheek may be broken4 ,with most fishes it is possible to remove all the cartilage from the head1 and this should be done to prevent shrinkage4 ,if the mouth is to be open1 do not cut away its lining or much of the tongue behind4 ,the tongue is to be split perpendicularly lengthwise and about one-third of it removed4 ,when the head has been thoroughly cleaned1 remove the remaining flesh from the body with the skin scraper or scalpel4 ,the ventral fin which is uppermost as the fish lies on its side and is not to show1 should be carefully cut off outside the skin4 ,do not cut off the ventral fin on the side which is to be displayed4 ,do not scrape away the silvery lining of the skin if this can be avoided4 ,some of it will come off4 ,cut away the bases of all the fins and the tail inside with the curved scissors and scrape away all flesh1 working close to the fingers so as not to stretch the skin4 ,tie the vent inside with thread4 ,unless the fish is quite small1 the skin of the lower jaw must be loosened with the knife or scalpel and the muscles cut away4 ,the adipose1 or small fleshy fin on the back near the tail of such fishes as the trout1 must be carefully opened from the inside of the skin with a small-bladed knife and the contents removed1 to be later replaced with clay4 ,place the skin in water to loosen the paper--if any has been used--carefully washing the skin and wetting the fins and tail thoroughly4 ,you may allow the skin to remain in the water until you are ready to put it back in the mold1 but not longer than a few hours4 ,,filling4--,brush the sand from the mold1 and if the upper edge is uneven1 smooth it with a knife so that it will be perfectly straight4 ,should there be any rough places on the inside of the mold1 carefully scrape them down with the skin scraper4 ,illustration3 ,,inside ,,board4 7,fig4 #f7 ,cut out roughly a piece of soft pine one-half to one inch thick the shape of the outline of the fish1 but somewhat smaller1 using the mold as a guide4 ,one side will1 of course1 be flat1 and that side should be uppermost when placed in the mold4 ,work up with water a sufficient quantity of clay to about the consistency of fresh putty4 ,place the mold on your bench or table1 resting it on something soft 7such as a piece of old carpet or burlap7 to prevent its breaking4 ,drain the water from the skin and put it back into the mold1 adjusting it nicely4 ,the median line will guide you4 ,see that the head1 fins and tail occupy the same places they did before4 ,pour a little alcohol on the skin inside and let it run along the bases of the fins and tail1 over the entire inner surface of the skin and into the head to preserve any bits of flesh that may possibly remain4 ,drain off the surplus alcohol4 ,fill the adipose fin 7if the fish has one7 with clay4 ,sprinkle powdered arsenic over the entire inside of the skin and head4 ,do not use more than will readily adhere4 ,the chances are that you removed more or less of the silvery lining of the skin4 ,whether you did or not1 cover the entire inner surface of the skin of the cheek and body with two or three thicknesses of aluminum leaf4 ,do not cover the entire surface at once4 ,cover a small part at a time1 and then put on top of the leaf enough clay to cover it1 commencing at the head and continuing to the tail4 ,replace the muscles and cartilage of the head with clay4 ,be sure to keep the skin properly adjusted to the mold4 ,see that the fins and the tail remain in their proper places and that they are kept covered with wet cloths4 ,flatten out the clay 7a small quantity at a time7 with the fingers and cover the inside of the skin to the depth of about one-eighth of an inch1 pressing it down firmly1 especially at the bases of the fins and tail and into the cheek and head4 ,fit in the piece of pine1 cutting it down as may be necessary4 ,its shape will be something like ,fig4 #f4 ,mix some more plaster1 and before putting in the piece of board1 pour in the plaster on the clay1 filling the skin perhaps two-thirds full4 ,quickly1 before the plaster sets1 put in the piece of wood1 carefully pressing it down into the plaster until it is level with the upper edge of the mold1 removing any surplus plaster quickly and neatly4 ,sew up the skin from one edge to the other as shown in ,fig4 #g4 ,illustration3 ,,sewing ,,up ,,the ,,skin4 7,fig4 #g7 ,,removing ,,specimen ,,from ,,mold ,,and ,,drying4--,lay a piece of clean board of the proper size on top of the mold1 turning both over4 ,lift up the mold a trifle1 gently shaking it4 ,the fish may or may not come out4 ,if not1 turn the mold back1 insert the point of a knife in the wood and try to start the fish4 ,in extreme cases it may be necessary to break the mold carefully4 ,however1 there should be no undercuts to hold the fish4 ,carefully wash the fish as it lays on the board to remove all clay and plaster which may be on the upper surface4 ,with the fingers smooth out any wrinkles or uneven places4 ,sometimes1 when drying1 small wrinkles or bubbles may appear in the skin of such fish as trout1 but they will soon disappear4 ,if you placed the fish in a natural position when making the mold and properly adjusted the cleaned skin to the mold1 there should be no wrinkles4 ,place thin pieces of wood the shape of the fins between the board and the dorsal and anal fins1 which should stand out from the board a little way4 ,cover the tail and the fins which lie flat with thin pieces of wood1 pinning them to the board until dry4 ,the fins which do not lie flat should be spread between thin pieces of wood held in place with pins or clips4 ,when the surface of the fish is dry1 which will be in from six to twelve hours1 give it a coat of the very best white varnish 7the ordinary yellow varnish will not do7 and put the specimen in a well ventilated place out of the sun to dry4 ,in three or four days when the fins are dry1 remove the thin pieces of wood and apply another coat of varnish4 ,,caution4--,arsenic is poison and should be kept out of the way of children and animals4 ,keep the box covered when not in use4 ,cuts in the hand can be protected by covering them with liquid court plaster4 ,clean the finger nails carefully when through work1 washing the hands in warm water containing a few drops of carbolic acid4 ,,finishing4--,while the fish is drying secure uncolored glass eyes with the properly shaped black pupils and paint the iris from your sketch4 ,when the specimen is thoroughly dry1 in two or three weeks1 dig a sufficient amount of clay out of the eye opening and put in the glass eye1 setting it in papier mache4 ,use the prepared mache1 which only requires boiling with water for preparation4 ,when the mache is dry1 give the exposed portion of it one or two coats of paint of the proper color4 ,now do such painting as may be necessary--for instance1 the spots and fins of the brook trout1 colors of which have doubtless vanished by this time4 ,use tube paint1 thinned with the white varnish4 ,usually it is sufficient to place a small quantity of the paint of the proper color directly into the varnish4 ,do not use much of the paint--just enough to secure the color and yet not obscure the scales4 ,where the markings are prominent1 put some of the paint directly on the fish and spread it with the varnish4 ,brilliant spots1 such as those of the trout1 can be reproduced by the use of the paints without the varnish4 ,while the specimen is drying prepare a panel for it4 ,to show the fish to the best advantage1 the panel should be of polished hardwood1 although stained pine will answer4 ,bore two holes about half way through the panel from the back1 slanting upward1 by which to hang it4 7,see ,fig4 #h47 ,bore two holes entirely through the panel in the proper places and screw the fish to it1 putting in the screws from the back of the panel and into the fish where the wood is thickest4 ,countersink the screws4 ,illustration3 ,,home ,,made ,,panel4 7,fig4 #h7 ,finally1 apply a last coat of the varnish4 ,do not varnish the glass eye4 ,by keeping a piece of writing paper between the panel and your brush you can varnish the fish without getting any on the panel4 ,it is best to put on the final coat after the specimen is mounted on the panel1 because if the fish is handled before the varnish is hard finger marks will show4 ,illustration3 ,,side ,,view4 7,fig4 #i7 ,,mounting ,,heads4--,with a sharp knife or saw cut the head off squarely just back of first 7pectoral7 fins1 as shown in ,figs4 #i and #aj1 which show the head of a black bass4 ,in this case the ventral fins are also left on4 ,place the head on a board with the cut part down1 spreading the fins as in ,fig4 #aj4 ,if it is to be displayed with open mouth1 fill the mouth with cotton or cloth to exclude the plaster4 ,cover the whole head with plaster4 ,illustration3 ,,front ,,view4 7,fig4 #aj7 ,after the plaster sets1 with a saw and knife cut the mold into two parts lengthwise1 being careful not to cut into the head4 ,use the saw first and when the plaster is cut down close to the skin use the knife carefully4 ,do not attempt to remove the head before cutting the mold in two4 ,remove flesh and cartilage from the head1 line with aluminum leaf1 and proceed as previously instructed4 ,of course none of the tongue is to be removed if the mouth is to be left open1 in which case do not remove the bony parts of the gills4 ,before placing the cleaned skin in the mold1 tie the two parts of the mold together4 ,cut a neck board to fit and set it in plaster4 ,finish as previously advised4 ,,chapter ,,xxii4 ,,mounting ,,reptiles1 ,,frogs ,,and ,,toads4 ,the largest reptile of the ,united ,states1 the alligator1 is mounted by methods applied to medium sized animals4 ,leg1 head and tail rods are stapled to a stout back board and after building up the legs from tow the larger part of the body is filled by stuffing with coarse tow or fine excelsior4 ,let the skin rest back down while engaged in this1 sewing up the skin as it proceeds1 with stout twine and a sail needle4 ,you may even need to use the awl to pierce the armor like skin4 ,for any natural position the leg irons need not be heavy as this animal usually keeps its body and tail in contact with the ground4 ,the leg rods are clinched or bolted beneath the pedestal as in other quadrupeds and in addition some long screws are turned into the back board from below and the tail held down by wire fastened to its central support and clinched beneath the pedestal4 ,all but the smallest lizards are mounted in the same way as the small fur-bearers4 ,there is apparently no known mode of stuffing a snake so as to resemble its natural state4 ,the skin must be placed on a carefully modelled manikin with a plastic layer between4 ,for small snakes tow is wound on a wire and shaped with thread1 and excelsior is used in the same way for the large ones4 ,the larger manikins are to be posed and paper coated in most cases before receiving the skin4 ,frogs and toads are also very difficult to mount in natural positions1 but are nicely represented in painted casts4 ,frogs1 however1 possess the distinction of not having to be sewed up1 when skinned as they usually are through the mouth4 ,in doing this the entire body is dissected away through the mouth and the legs are detached and skinned the same way4 ,after turning completely wrong side out and poisoning the legs are wired1 wrapped with tow or cotton in the same manner as other small animals4 ,one hind leg wire is cut long enough to reach through the body and head and to this the other leg wires are twisted4 ,some claim that to leave the vertebral column attached to the skin of the back is an invaluable aid in giving that part its proper shape4 ,illustration3 ,,wiring ,,system ,,for ,,frog4 ,the body filling is tow or cotton placed through the mouth in small pieces until the proper shape is acquired4 ,dry sand has been used to fill the bodies of frogs1 being poured in the mouth through a funnel and retained by a cotton plug until the skin was dry1 when it was poured out4 ,painting and varnishing are required to finish mounted frogs4 ,the frog is a favorite with the caricaturist as it can be made to take almost any human posture with laughable results4 ,turtles may be mounted by wrapping and wiring legs1 tail and head like other small animals1 after detaching the under shell on three sides1 removing the body and skinning the limbs4 ,the tow wrapped legs should have a covering of soft clay which can be shaped with the fingers after they are returned to the skin4 ,twisting the wires together is all right for the small turtles1 large ones need a block of wood to clinch the wires in4 ,the under shell is replaced and fastened with small wires and as enough skin was left attached to it to sew to1 all cuts are closed that way4 ,heavy wires are seldom necessary in turtles4 ,those having bright colored shells will need to be touched up with paint and all should be varnished thinly to give a fresh appearance4 ,,chapter ,,xxiii4 ,,skulls ,,and ,,skeletons4 ,while the preparation of skeletons for the cabinet is sometimes undertaken by the general taxidermist it is more often the work of a trained osteologist4 ,collectors in the field are often asked to preserve rough skeletons of desirable varieties and the skulls at least should be preserved with the skin of each quadruped taken for mounting4 ,a specimen with a damaged or imperfect skin may yield a good skeleton and in the case of something very rare both the skin and skeleton may be mounted separately4 ,this process is one calling for a skilled operator as all claws1 nails or hoofs should remain on the skin while their bony cores are part of the skeleton4 ,in the preservation of rough skeletons1 skinning by any method is the first step1 next the removal of the viscera1 etc41 then the most of the flesh and muscle should be dissected off the bones1 after which poison with dry arsenic and put where it will dry out quickly and be out of the reach of foraging animals4 ,the legs of small animals should be unjointed as well as the skull and after trimming be put inside the body cavity and securely tied to prevent loss2 birds are treated about the same and all large animals are pretty thoroughly taken apart in order to properly clean the bones4 ,always remember that a skeleton with parts cut away or bones lost is about as good as none4 ,leave any cartilage attachments and any parts of a bony nature for the osteologist1 to be on the safe side4 ,sometimes along salt water an uncleaned skeleton may be put in a wire netting cage and anchored in the water where various small marine animals will soon clear away the flesh4 ,on land1 too1 a similar expedient may be practiced by putting small carcasses in a box with holes bored in it and burying it in some active ant hill4 ,in both cases the openings need to be small1 that the smaller bones may not be carried off and they should be removed before the ligaments are destroyed4 ,illustration3 ,,skulls--,,dog ,,wolf1 ,,she ,,wolf1 ,,bay ,,lynx1 ,,otter1 ,,mink4 ,when they are not wanted for scientific purposes1 skulls may be cleaned with the minimum labor by boiling4 ,watch them closely1 however1 and remove as soon as the flesh gets tender as much cooking will cause the teeth to fall out and the skull to separate at the sutures4 ,glue and plaster paris will put such disintegrated skulls in shape for commercial mounting but they are ruined forever for the scientist4 ,a friend was once cleaning a quantity of skulls 7for museum purposes7 and to expedite matters put them on to boil2 all went well as long as the pot was watched1 but an accident1 the collapse of a large building1 called him away and prevented his return until a dozen or so skulls had turned to a mass of loose teeth and scraps of bone4 ,i never knew just what transpired between him and the museum curator afterward1 nothing of interest to the general public4 ,small specimens which it is proposed to skeletonize are best preserved entire in alcoholic solution as loss and breakage are thus prevented4 ,the solution of formaldehyde can be used for this purpose but is not as good as it toughens the flesh1 making its future removal more difficult4 ,the complete cleaning of a skeleton is a matter of much soaking and scraping1 calling for much patience and a strong stomach4 ,ligamentary skeletons of the smaller birds and animals are often prepared and mounted by the non-professional with fair success4 ,the entire specimen is cleaned of all flesh without disconnecting any of the bones except the skull and the leg of all but the smallest species4 ,the spinal cord is replaced with a brass or galvanized wire of suitable size and length2 this should project enough to penetrate a piece of cork fitted to the cavity of the skull4 ,if the leg bones were removed they should be fastened back in place by drilling small holes through them at the joints1 inserting a piece of brass wire and clinching the ends over4 ,the skeleton is hung by cords or threads in a frame of wooden strips1 so the feet will rest on the base1 and then arranged in some natural attitude1 holding the parts in place until the ligaments are fully dry by means of pins1 threads and strips of cardboard4 ,the finished skeleton had best be supported on its pedestal by two metal rods with a ,u shaped fork at their upper ends which will clasp the vertebrae just in front of the hind legs and back of the head4 ,these rods should be of brass or galvanized iron gilded and their lower ends are either threaded and provided with two nuts1 or bent at right angles and stapled to the under side of the mount4 ,bird skeletons are treated in a similar way1 but the wing bones need a supporting wire fastened to the back bone and a single standard4 ,the smaller birds and animals up to the size of a small squirrel may be skeletonized and mounted without metal supports4 ,a ligament which gives way may be replaced by some fibres of raw cotton saturated with glue4 ,while cleaning the bone for a ligamentary skeleton it should be kept damp until it is given the final attitude4 ,water with a few drops of carbolic acid should be used for this4 ,a bath with chloride of lime solution will help to whiten the bones1 though very greasy ones call for an application of benzine4 ,fish1 reptiles1 etc41 demand about the same treatment4 ,the large birds and quadrupeds are usually cleaned bone by bone1 and each joint articulated in the laboratory1 though their preservation in the field as rough skeletons require similar methods4 ,the main rule in collecting skeletons is to never1 never lose a bone or anything of a bony nature attached to the specimen4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,,sportsmen',s ,,trophies4 ,as our game becomes scarcer ,i believe there will be more demand for the preservation of the sportsman's trophies than in the days of abundance now past4 ,then only a phenomenally rare or large or freakish example seemed to warrant the trouble and expense of putting in the taxidermist's hands4 ,now the souvenir of a good day's sport or a memorable outing is deemed well worth keeping4 ,heads1 horns1 skins for floor or hangings and fish and game panels for the dining room walls have always been in high favor with sportsmen4 ,so also are unique articles of use and decoration for the home4 ,the naturalist sportsman whose trips are1 from force of circumstances1 only local can in a short time make a splendid showing by preserving such good types of game as he may procure4 ,in mounting birds as hanging dead game it is well to hang the specimen before skinning1 in the position wished and if possible sketch it so1 at least impress its appearance well on the memory4 ,the main points of the process are the same as for ordinary mounting4 ,there are1 however1 a few exceptions which ,i will mention4 ,if one side of a bird is defective in any way it may be mounted with such side next the panel1 so often1 if the specimen is to have the breast or under side displayed1 the opening cut is made down the back or on one side4 ,if a pair of birds of the same kind are used on one panel pose them to display the back of one and breast of the other4 ,it will usually be necessary to wire the wings of birds for game panels so as to adjust them properly1 though they are sometimes fixed from the outside by embedding sharpened wires in the body4 ,ducks of all kinds are especially suitable for panels in that their plumage being stiffer and more durable does not make casing in glass so necessary1 though most of our game birds can1 by proper treatment1 dispense with such protection4 ,one of the most effective duck trophies which ,i ever saw was a string of three or four small duck rising in flight apparently from one corner of a room1 to the ceiling in the center of the side wall4 ,illustration3 ,,flying ,,duck4 7,for wall47 ,for this effect they are mounted with wings spread and raised1 head and legs outstretched4 ,they are hung on nails in the wall in a regularly ascending line1 the point of suspension being a wire loop under the wing on the side next the wall4 ,single birds look well in the same position4 ,rabbits and squirrels are also mounted as hanging dead game either in combination with some of the small game birds or separately4 ,in selecting panels for this class of work use those finished in a contrasting color to the general tone of the specimens1 a dark bird on a lighter panel and the reverse4 ,on all panels and shields smooth rounded1 beveled or ,ogee edges are advisable4 ,small headings and intricate moulding are dust catchers4 ,wild cats1 'coons1 foxes1 coyotes1 even bears and pumas gathered by night hunters and dog enthusiasts are usually best made up as more or less elaborate rugs4 ,as wall and couch or chair hangings these have no trimming and often no lining except under the head4 ,if for any reason the skins are unfit for this the heads can generally be used as wall mounts4 ,illustration3 ,,timber ,,wolf ,,rug1 ,,full ,,head4 ,illustration3 ,,deer ,,head ,,hall ,,rack4 ,room may be found for a few of the smaller specimens mounted whole but in the average home they are the bugbear of the housekeeper1 early exiled to the attic4 ,a friend of mine has his collection of small game birds1 occupying the plate rail of his dining room1 well out of the way and admired by many4 ,well mounted heads and antlers are suitable almost anywhere that they do not seem crowded4 ,the famous ,east ,room of the ,white ,house has some handsome examples4 ,to make them answer a useful purpose they are made into hall racks1 alone and in combination with feet4 ,the makers of mounts offer a number of very attractive designs in the well-finished hard woods1 some provided with plate glass mirrors4 ,fish make beautiful trophies which lend themselves particularly to wall decoration on panels or as framed medallions4 ,how often the mounted trophy would save the fisherman's reputation for veracity4 ,perhaps their rapidly perishable nature accounts for the rarity of fish trophies4 ,in conclusion ,i would say if you are a sportsman try the preliminary or entire preservation of some of your trophies1 at least get them to the taxidermist in as good order as you can4 ,remember no matter how fine a specimen may have been1 if allowed to be mutilated1 become putrid or damaged1 it can never be entirely repaired4 ,the taxidermist must recall that exigencies of the field are responsible for neglect of many details and a nature loving sportsman is a friend worth having1 who will share the contents of a seldom overfull purse with you in return for your best efforts4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,,odds ,,and ,,ends1 ,,taxidermic ,,novelties4 ,there is almost no end to the useful and interesting things an ingenious person can turn out in this line4 ,there is quite a demand for the preservation of the plumage of game birds for millinery use since the killing of other birds for this purpose was forbidden4 ,wings1 tails1 heads and breasts1 principally1 of grouse1 pheasants and water fowl so used do not call up visions of starving nestlings4 ,they need only to be skinned and poisoned as usual and pinned out to dry in the desired shape often loosely filling in and some cases wiring with rather small soft wire4 ,when dry all raw edges or surfaces should be covered with pieces of cambric or lining canvas glued on4 ,antlers and horns are sometimes worked up into armchairs and two pairs of small deer antlers turned upside down and screwed to a square of board make the foundation of a nice stool4 ,hat1 gun and rod racks of feet1 antlers and heads in various combinations are mentioned elsewhere and occasionally some one attempts an electrolier of antlers1 mounted either on the heads or separately4 ,to do this grooves are chiseled out of the back of the antlers to receive insulated wire running to each point which is equipped with a light bulb4 ,after placing the wires and bulbs and testing1 the grooves are filled with mache or putty colored to match the other surface4 ,peacock feather and fox tail dusters are fitted with buck horn handles or those made of fox or wild cat paws4 ,riding whips will look well with the same style handles4 ,screens from mounted birds are highly ornamental1 especially those of framed plush or satin on which birds of contrasting plumage are mounted in medallion style4 ,it would be hard to find a more beautiful object than a snow white heron medallion on a black velvet screen framed in gold4 ,these medallions are mounted by flattening the subject considerably so it is in little more than half relief4 ,a number of small birds may be mounted on a satin covered screen with embroidered branches and foliage4 ,some of the smaller fur bearers have been used in this way with success4 ,some artists have specialized in grotesque mounting of small specimens1 singly and in groups4 ,frogs1 toads and squirrels are best suited to such caricature work4 ,a foot muff can be made up from scraps of fur and will be appreciated in cold climates on long rides and indoors as well sometimes4 ,to make this a covering of the size and shape of a foot stool is made of carpet or similar material4 ,the bottom and sides are of this and the top of some short fur4 ,a slit is made in this top and a bag of long fur or wool is sewed into the slit so when the muff or stool is loosely filled with tow and excelsior the feet may be thrust down into the fur lined pocket4 ,the head of a fox or wildcat in half relief put on top1 over the feet will give a finish to it4 ,illustration3 ,,foot ,,muff1 ,,trimmed ,,with ,,head ,,and ,,tails4 ,a novelty in fur rugs is to mount the skin of some small animal in the center of a larger one of contrasting color4 ,the so-called ,plates of black goat are often so used with a fox1 coon1 or lynx in the center4 ,to do this mount the fox as for a half head rug1 when dry and shaped cut out a paper pattern the exact size of it4 ,apply this pattern to the back of the goat plate1 mark around it and cut out1 leaving the opening a little smaller than pattern4 ,be sure pattern was right side up4 ,sew the skin in from the back1 wad and line it4 ,a felt trimming is unnecessary on this rug4 ,illustration3 ,,monkey ,,card ,,receiver4 ,match safes1 candle holders1 and similar things are made from the heads of fish and ducks with metal containers fastened in their open mouths4 ,monkeys1 bear cubs and alligators mounted erect with card trays are quite striking while foxes or raccoons peering over the edge of umbrella jars or waste baskets are equally so4 ,many animals are mounted in ,germany for advertising purposes1 being either sold outright or rented by the month4 ,some of these are really a form of slot machine with coin actuated mechanisms while others are motor driven1 attracting attention as moving displays always do4 ,bears and foxes on swings and seesaws and various small animals on merry-go-rounds are always attractive4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,,groups ,,and ,,grouping4 ,this subject is more of interest to the museum preparator than the home taxidermist1 but a short consideration of it is not out of place here4 ,many instructive and pleasing little groups of our smaller mammals and birds can be prepared for display in the home4 ,such groups usually require casing for protection but are well worth the trouble and expense4 ,always try to make a group mean something4 ,let the subjects be feeding1 fighting or occupied in any natural way4 ,family groups showing the male and female1 adults and young1 in the home surroundings are always good4 ,the seasonal groups of ,spring1 ,autumn1 ,summer and ,winter have been produced by most bird taxidermists at some time4 ,appropriate varieties of small birds are the blue birds for ,spring2 gold finches1 ,autumn2 yellow birds or tanagers1 ,summer2 snow birds1 ,winter4 ,framed with painted backgrounds and suitable accessories their shallow wall cases may be hung like pictures4 ,never make the mistake of grouping animals that would never meet in natural circumstances or furnish them with incongruous surroundings4 ,illustration3 ,,squirrels--,,grey1 ,,red1 ,,flying1 ,,ground 7,,chip ,,munk7 ,the arrangement of groups for the exhibition cases of museums is very exacting as they are made open to the view on all sides4 ,in order to judge of the affect such groups are modelled in miniature clay figures which are changed and re-arranged until satisfactory before the mounting is begun4 ,such work is rather out of our province but an intelligent arrangement of two or more figures can be made to convey many more ideas than a single one would suggest4 ,some of the most striking groups are those of the larger carnivora in combat1 but they hardly possess the real value of painstaking life studies of some of our more familiar kindred of the wild4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,,animal ,,anatomy4 ,a knowledge of this subject coupled with the necessary mechanical ability will enable their possessor to take place in the front ranks of taxidermists4 ,even if we have but little opportunity to study the anatomy of some of the rarer varieties of animal forms we can inform ourselves of certain typical features possessed in common by other more common members of the same great family or species4 ,press and camera supplies us with much reliable information on the subject4 ,books on natural history1 travels and sports were never so complete1 interesting1 and withal1 so easy of access as they are nowadays4 ,a great help to the naturalist is a collection of pictures such as appear from time to time in periodicals4 ,back numbers of magazines on outdoor life and sports will contribute quantities of these1 most of them reproduced from photographs and in a short time a large collection of such can be made4 ,packing these in the pockets of a letter file will keep them together1 and at the same time make it possible to withdraw any one or more for inspection when wanted4 ,photos of dead animals are not particularly valuable but casts always are2 make them whenever opportunity offers4 ,not so much casts of the entire specimen as casts of various details4 ,get a set of moulds of the noses of say deer1 moose1 domestic cattle and sheep and keep the resulting casts for reference4 ,their value will be apparent when mounting heads4 ,any sketches1 however rough1 will also be of use4 ,the circus and zoo will furnish feast days for the student of animal anatomy and pencil and camera may be used freely at both with the assurance of the best of treatment from officials and keepers4 ,a visit to the meat market will afford opportunity for study of the muscular system of the domestic animals4 ,the sculptor builds up his clay model unhampered by fur1 feathers or bones and chisels out his statuary on a scale determined by himself while the taxidermist must not only construct his figures or manikins in correct proportions1 but make them fit a certain skin4 ,hence it behooves him even more than the sculptor to be well grounded in at least the main principles of the anatomy of animals4 ,birds in particular are a fruitful source of study1 muffled as they are in feathers1 when stripped presenting a very different appearance4 ,to illustrate the value of a knowledge of avian anatomy ,i will mention an incident occurring many years ago at a large taxidermy establishment4 ,illustration3 ,,water ,,fowl ,,head4 ,two of the frugal minded workmen having skinned a large plump duck laid the body minus head1 feet1 and wings aside to furnish a dinner next day4 ,the porter regarding same as his perquisite abstracted and hid it4 ,the first owners discovering it substituted the body of a large horned owl then in the process of mounting and so made all concerned happy4 ,the porter bragging loudly next day of the fine duck he had done them out of1 they were able to convince him of the truth only by exhibiting the duck remains as a part of their lunch4 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,,casting ,,and ,,modelling4 ,one of the leading authorities in this country has aptly said1 ,the ideal taxidermist must be a combination of modeller and anatomist1 naturalist1 carpenter1 blacksmith and painter4 ,he must have the eye of an artist and the back of a hod carrier4 ,this should not dismay the beginner for such casting and modelling as will be indispensable are comparatively simple4 ,in order to cast we must have molds and in our work these are chiefly of plaster4 ,they are divided into two classes known as piece and waste molds4 ,as the names indicate the latter is wasted or destroyed after making one copy while the piece variety can be used for a number of reproductions4 ,the piece mold is divided into sections in such a way as will allow its removal without injury to either mold or cast4 ,the waste mold is made from soft or fleshy objects which can be drawn from it in spite of projections known as undercuts4 ,as an illustration let us procure a cast of a deer's nose for reference in mounting the head later4 ,for our purpose we wish a cast of the nose and lips1 so with the head in the flesh at hand1 the hair as far back as the corner of the mouth is coated with clay water to prevent the liquid plaster from penetrating and adhering4 ,this done the head is propped up on the table and a rough box arranged around it1 which will reach nearly to the mouth as the head is placed with nose uppermost4 ,pour sand in this box until only as much of the nose projects as is desired to cast4 ,now mix in a bowl or basin a sufficient amount of water and plaster of paris to cover the surface of the deer's nose about #a_/d inch thick4 ,this should be of the consistency of cream and enough bluing or lampblack should be added to give it a decided tint4 ,if the skin of the lips and nose is disposed naturally the plaster may be ladled on with the spoon1 endeavoring to get about an even coating4 ,wash any remaining bits from the dish and mix say twice the amount of plaster without coloring4 ,distribute this over the other and allow to harden1 which they will do in about #bj minutes4 ,a little careful work will withdraw this mold from the nose and it may either be laid aside or used at once in making the cast4 ,to do this brush the inside with clay water and pour it full of plaster4 ,shake well to prevent bubbles and when hardened chisel away the mold4 ,in doing this lay it on the lap or a cushion and chip off the mold4 ,when the first layer 7the colored one7 appears work with caution to avoid marring the cast4 ,if a wire loop was inserted before the plaster hardened the cast may be hung on the wall for future reference4 ,illustration3 ,,three ,,piece ,,mould ,,of ,,head4 ,the preparation of a piece mold is somewhat different4 ,a mold can be made in two pieces of a round object like a ball and if each piece is exactly one-half1 it will draw1 because there is no point under which the plaster will hold4 ,any hollows or projections will form under cuts necessitating making the mold in a number of pieces that it may relieve or be lifted off the cast4 ,molds of heads from which to cast paper forms are often wanted and are easily made4 ,with the skinned head of a fox1 let us say1 on the table1 the lower part is embedded in fine sand or clay about on a line with the mouth4 ,cover half of the exposed upper part of the head also with clay4 ,pour to the depth of at least #a_/b inch on the remainder4 ,remove the clay from the other half of the face1 and after countersinking two or three shallow holes in the edge of that part of mold already made and coating that edge with clay water1 pour plaster for the second piece of mold4 ,when this hardens pick up head from its bedding of sand or clay and turn over so the final piece of model can be made4 ,always coat the edges with shellac or clay water to prevent adhesion and countersink a few holes for dowels to aid in holding the pieces in place4 ,dry out thoroughly and shellac the whole interior and joining edges4 ,if it is slightly oiled before using a great number of casts may be made from it4 ,this will give us a complete cast of a fox head with closed mouth4 ,a shorter method to obtain molds of the upper part of the head and face for making paper half-head forms1 is to imbed in sand or clay as directed and stick a piece of stout thread or cord along the central lines of the head and face4 ,a little clay will hold this in place and there should be a few inches surplus at each end4 ,mix the plaster and cover the entire top and sides of the head with it4 ,just as the plaster begins to harden draw the thread upward through the stiffening plaster cutting it in two parts which are easily removed when hard4 ,when dry coat with shellac1 tie together and they are ready for use4 ,illustration3 ,,making ,,mould ,,for ,,half ,,head4 ,to cast half head forms soak some paper and after coating one side with paste1 press into the mold with the fingers4 ,the first layer should be quite soft so as to crowd into all depressions4 ,about six layers of building paper is thick enough for a fox head size4 ,when dry cut the cords and detach the mold4 ,molds for deer head forms are made in two pieces1 one for each side of the head1 and are necessarily not carried completely around the antlers4 ,this gap is just filled in the head form by the plate of bone bearing the antlers1 which is sawed from the skull4 ,the entire neck may be molded in connection with the head if desired4 ,gelatine and compositions of glue and wax are used for molds where fine definition is desirable1 and wax as well as plaster and paper for making casts4 ,the ground up paper pulp is used for many casts1 pressing it into mold with fingers and spatulas4 ,clay is the stand-by of the taxidermist modeller4 ,that furnished by art dealers is best1 but for common use potter's clay is all that is necessary4 ,a little glue mixed in plaster delays its setting and makes it harder when dry4 ,good papier mache is one of the best materials for much modelling and wax for very fine work4 ,tools for this work may be purchased or home made of wood1 bone or metal4 ,many forms of fishes and reptiles are difficult or impossible to mount by ordinary methods4 ,on these the caster and modeller may work his will1 and if he also possesses a good eye for color the results may be of the best4 ,as an indisputable record of anatomy even a poor cast is valuable4 ,,chapter ,,xxix4 ,,market ,,trophy ,,hunting4 ,in this country and day of conservation this would seem like a delicate subject to attack4 ,the hunter for the trophy market a few years back was slaying elk1 mountain sheep1 moose1 deer1 or antelope indiscriminately4 ,illustration3 ,,deer ,,foot ,,ink ,,well ,,and ,,pen ,,rack4 ,while modern game laws have changed or at least modified this ,i can see no reason why a hunter who is entitled to a certain head of game per season should not utilize them fully by preparation and sale to others who have not similar opportunities4 ,illustration3 ,,mountain ,,lion ,,or ,,puma ,,hide4 ,what would often be left in the woods as useless1 as indeed it would be for food purposes1 is transformed into a beautiful and decorative article of considerable commercial value4 ,often things being equal the trophy hunter will avoid killing young and female game animals on account of the worthlessness of their heads as trophy if not for any ethical reason4 ,while the day of trophy hunting as a business in the ,united ,states is past probably1 by preserving such heads1 horns1 feet and skins as come in his way the trapper1 prospector and settler can often add considerably to his income4 ,for instance1 from one to five deer may be legally killed in different states4 ,if two good heads are taken1 worth say #ae4jj and #bj4jj each when prepared1 that sum would go far towards paying the expenses of an enjoyable outing4 ,the fur trapper will frequently take some animal the skin of which may for many reasons be of little value4 ,the puma or mountain lion is such a one1 worth but #b4jj or #c4jj usually1 the mounted head is a striking wall ornament and the skin is suitable for couch or floor4 ,though fur dealers will make some deduction from the regular prices on skins from which the heads are removed1 it is vastly more profitable to retain them and preserve as trophies4 ,horns and antlers and head skins or scalps of all our large game have a certain value either separately or together4 ,mounted heads1 damaged by moth create a demand for extra scalps and separate antlers are often called for4 ,extra large heads or antlers of freakish formation seem to possess a special fascination for the public4 ,illustration3 ,,spring ,,lamb8 ,,coon ,,head4 ,commercial fishermen handling fish in large numbers would do well to preserve at least a few of the more notable specimens of their catch4 ,in some localities there is every summer an opportunity to supply rusticators with rattlesnake skins which may be prepared for wall decorations or use as belts1 hat bands1 card-cases1 and neck ties4 ,they should be packed in salt until tanned as drying out while in the raw state is apt to spoil them4 ,on account of the snake's habit of shedding its skin at varying intervals1 dressing snake skins is rather of the nature of a lottery4 ,the dressed skins should be made up with a backing of some other leather as it is apt to possess but little strength of itself4 ,in localities where the tarpon1 tuna1 muscallonge1 and other large fish are caught it is well to keep some good specimens on hand as such are often in demand to substantiate a fish story4 ,in a word1 gather and preserve some of the best objects of animated nature your locality affords1 whether fur1 fin or feather4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,,collecting ,,and ,,mounting ,,for ,,sale4 ,commercial taxidermy is roughly divided in two branches1 custom work1 and collecting and mounting for sale4 ,for the first you need some fixed place of business easy of access to the public and convenient to lines of transportation4 ,the latter may be taken up anywhere if a demand has been noted and a market assured or in prospect4 ,travelers in little known parts of the country often pay their expenses or even gain considerable profit by collecting desirable specimens of animal life4 ,as a side line on pleasure trips it is sometimes remunerative4 ,woodsmen and fishermen will often find it to pay better to preserve for mounting part of their game at least4 ,the sales end of the proposition is the most difficult for the outdoor man4 ,such work has not the fixed 787 value of furs and meat4 ,there are a number of dealers in naturalists' material who aim to keep on hand a pretty complete stock of specimens for museum purposes4 ,correspondence with these will procure their want lists4 ,many more deal in unmounted trophies of heads1 horns and rug skins4 ,occasionally an order for small and common species may be secured from some school or college4 ,such institutions will often place an order for desirable material with a prospective traveler4 ,illustration3 ,,bookcase ,,ornaments--,,crow2 ,,alligator 7,fisherman from the ,everglades72 ,,owl4 ,finally it is well to mount a good specimen or two of almost any variety on general principles4 ,it is astonishing how difficult it is to procure some very common species on the spur of the moment4 ,if you accumulate a number of nicely done and attractive specimens it is possible to secure their sale on commission4 ,as such things are apt to draw attention as a window or wall display some druggist1 sporting goods dealer or other business man may be glad to aid in their disposal4 ,in or near a game country the local hotels will help advertise you by giving wall space in dining room or office to suitable pieces accompanied by a business card4 ,donations to libraries1 schools and other public and semi-public institutions will keep you more or less in the public mind4 ,endeavor to fill any orders you receive even if obliged to purchase at such rates that no profit remains4 ,do not diminish the animal life of your locality by collecting everything you can lay your hands on4 ,it would be time misspent and mostly unrewarded4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,,prices ,,for ,,work4 ,to those who hope to coin spare hours into dollars and cents1 or others who must make a hobby pay its own expenses at least1 an important question is1 what is my work worth8 ,and one will concede that a taxidermist should receive at least as much as a skilled mechanic and the experts both in commercial and museum work are sometimes 7not always7 highly paid4 ,what seems the fairest method of compensation is by piece work and most custom taxidermy is handled on that basis4 ,most professionals have a regular scale of prices which1 while necessarily more or less elastic1 will give the public an estimate of cost4 ,the schedule which ,i give is1 ,i think1 about that in use in the ,eastern ,states4 ,the outside prices are for extra large specimens or those mishandled or injured so as to require an extra expenditure of time to give satisfaction4 ,,prices ,,for ,,mounting ,,specimens4 ,,birds4 ,small ,wrens1 ,canary1 #a4jj to #a4ej ,robins1 ,jays1 and similar1 #b4jj to #b4ej ,medium ,quail1 ,snipe1 ,dove1 ,woodcock1 #b4ej to #c4jj ,large ,crow1 ,grouse1 ,duck1 #c4jj to #d4jj ,larger ,horned ,owls1 ,fish ,hawk1 etc41 #d4ej to #e4jj ,eagle1 ,turkey1 ,pea ,fowl1 #aj4jj to #ae4jj ,birds with spread wings add #be per cent4 ,,making ,,bird ,,skins4 ,small up to size of ,sparrow1 4#bj ,robin1 ,jay1 etc41 4#be ,pigeon1 ,hawk1 and similar1 4#ce ,screech ,owl1 ,green ,heron1 4#ej ,crow1 ,teal1 4#ge ,large ,hawks1 ,ducks1 #a4jj ,herring ,gull1 ,eider ,duck1 #a4be ,great ,horned ,owl1 ,fish ,hawk1 #a4ej ,eagle1 ,goose1 ,swan1 #b4ej ,,whole ,,animals4 ,mouse1 ,mole1 ,chipmunk1 #a4ej to #b4jj ,squirrels1 ,weasels1 #b4jj to #c4jj ,mink1 ,muskrat1 ,opossum1 ,rabbit1 #c4jj to #d4jj ,skunk1 ,woodchuck1 #d4jj to #e4jj ,coon1 ,fox1 ,wildcat1 #f4jj to #aj4jj ,dogs1 #aj4jj to #ce4jj ,domestic ,sheep1 #be4jj to #dj4jj ,bear1 ,mountain ,lion1 #bj4jj to #ge4jj ,deer1 ,antelope1 #cj4jj to #ge4jj ,price on whole mounted specimens include rustic stands1 stumps1 or rock work4 ,,heads4 ,elk1 ,moose1 ,steer1 #bj4jj to #dj4jj ,caribou1 ,mountain ,sheep1 #ae4jj to #be4jj ,deer 7buck71 ,antelope1 #g4ej to #ab4jj ,deer 7small71 common sheep1 #e4jj to #aj4jj ,bears1 #g4ej to #ae4jj ,wolf1 #e4jj to #g4ej ,fox1 ,wildcat1 ,raccoon1 etc41 #d4jj to #f4jj ,hawks1 ,owls1 ,eagles1 #b4jj to #c4jj ,fish1 #b4jj to #e4jj ,suitable shields or panels are included4 ,,fish1 ,,reptiles1 ,,etc4 ,small fish1 #b4jj to #e4jj ,medium1 ,bass1 etc41 #e4jj to #aj4jj ,large1 ,tarpon1 ,salmon1 #aj4jj to #be4jj ,snakes1 as to size1 #e4jj to #be4jj ,alligators1 #a4ej to #be4jj ,,mounting ,,horns1 ,,including ,,shields4 ,deer1 #b4ej to #e4jj ,african ,horns1 #b4ej to #aj4jj ,cow1 ,steer1 #b4ej to #e4jj ,caribou1 #c4ej to #g4jj ,moose1 ,elk1 #e4jj to #aj4jj ,,skins4 ,first column shows cost of tanning only2 second of tanning1 mounting #a_/b head and lining as rug2 third of complete rug with open mouth4 ,black ,bear1 #d4jj #aj4jj #ae4jj ,mountain ,lion1 ,jaguar1 #c4jj #aj4jj #ae4jj ,tiger1 #e4jj #ae4jj #bj4jj ,wolf1 #b4jj #h4jj #ab4jj ,coyote1 ,lynx1 #a4ej #g4ej #aj4jj ,fox1 ,wild ,cat1 ,coon1 ,house ,cat #a4jj #e4jj #f4jj ,sheep1 #a4ej 4444 4444 ,goat1 #a4ej #h4jj 4444 ,deer1 #b4ej #aj4jj 4444 ,opossum1 ,muskrat1 4#ej 4444 4444 ,mink1 4#ge 4444 4444 ,snake1 #a4jj and up ,alligator1 #b4jj and up ,,novelties4 ,deer ,feet1 each1 #b4jj to #c4jj ,moose and ,elk ,feet1 #c4jj to #d4jj ,including fittings4 ,,robes4 ,according to size and variety of skins from #ae4jj to #be4jj including tanning1 sewing up and linings4 ,the smaller skins of course require the most work4 ,domesticated animals1 dogs1 cats1 cage birds1 etc41 are mounted at the rates for similar sized wild specimens4 ,inasmuch as they are of value only for associations most taxidermists require a small advance payment on pet animals before commencing work2 other work is usually ,c4 ,o4 ,d4 ,a discount of #aj to #bj per cent is often made for large quantity or to those in the fur trade who may be so induced to secure orders4 ,it would pay for at least one person in every furriers shop to have a knowledge of taxidermy and a connection with some dealer in sportsmen's goods is often of advantage4 ,much of this matter of prices must be left to your own judgment4 ,often a fair profit can be made on work taken at a low figure during the off season4 ,perishable work demanding instant attention should receive the best pay and pieces which may be picked up in odd moments1 thus using time otherwise valueless1 may be figured near the foot of the scale4 ,the public appreciates work thoroughly done and it is the very best advertisement4 99 99 99 99 99 ,,fur-,,fish-,,game ,a ,practical ,monthly ,magazine for ,outdoorsmen ,devoted to ,hunting1 ,trapping1 ,fishing1 ,fur ,farming1 ,etc4 ,,fur-,,fish-,,game ,,is just the magazine you have been looking for4 ,it is edited by none other than ,a4 ,v4 ,harding1 whose name is a byword in the sporting field4 ,each monthly issue contains #fd to #ajj pages chock-full of interesting articles1 illustrated with actual photos on ,,fur ,,farming1 ,,hunting1 ,,fishing1 etc4 ,each issue also has many departments--,the ,gun ,rack2 ,dogs2 ,fur ,raising2 ,roots and ,herbs2 ,fish and ,tackle2 ,fur ,markets2 ,fur ,prices2 ,trapline2 ,travel2 and ,question ,box4 ,departments are edited by well-known men such as ,robert ,page ,lincoln1 ,ben ,c4 ,robinson1 ,e4 ,j4 ,dailey and ,maurice ,h4 ,decker4 ,illustration3 ,covers actual photos reproduced in actual colors4 ,new ,reduced ,price #a4ej a year2 #ae;c a copy ,buy a copy on the news stand or send ,,today for our ,,special ,,get ,,acquainted ,,offer #c ,recent ,copies and #c ,current ,copies #ej;c ,or ,single ,copy #aj;c ,good only if you mention book in which you saw this offer4 ,send name and address with proper remittance either cash1 stamps or money order to-- ,,fur-,,fish-,,game 7,harding's ,magazine7 #agd ,e4 ,long ,street ,columbus1 ,ohio 99 99 99 99 99 ,home ,manufacture of ,furs and ,skins ,a book of practical instructions telling how to tan1 dress1 color and manufacture or make into articles of ornament2 use or wear4 ,the author1 who has been in close touch with trappers1 hunters and other outdoor people for more than twenty years as a practical tanner1 furrier and taxidermist in the introduction says3 ,probably one of the oldest human industries is ,home ,dressing and ,manufacturing of ,furs and ,skins1 as this method of clothing the body has persisted from the early days 7even back to the stone age7 to the present time4 ,as a happy combination of dress and ornament furs will always continue to lead4 ,at the present time the manufacture of furs has been highly developed1 with the aid of machinery and specialized workmen it is conducted on a scale which compares favorably with any business activity4 ,however1 the principals remain the same1 and good results can still be attained by hand labor4 ,to the average outdoor man it is a positive pleasure to see the stiff1 dirty1 raw skin develop into the soft1 clean1 flexible material1 and later to shape it into a protection from the cold and an ornament combined4 ,illustration3 ,home ,manufacture of ,furs and ,skins ,this new1 practical and only book on the subject contains #bhe pages1 #ia illustrations1 #cd chapters1 and offers at a small cost a way for you to learn a pleasant and profitable business enabling you to tan1 dye1 dress and manufacture not only your own catch but to engage in the business if you wish4 ,read the chapter headings1 which will show you how complete the book is3 ,i4 ,some ,facts and ,general ,principles for ,fur and ,skin ,workers4 ,,ii4 ,correct ,modes of ,skinning ,fur ,animals4 ,,iii4 ,stretching and ,curing4 ,,iv4 ,handling ,other ,skins and ,hides4 ,v4 ,storing and ,shipping ,raw ,furs4 ,,vi4 ,indian ,skin ,dressing4 ,,vii4 ,indian ,fur ,robes4 ,,viii4 ,tools and ,appliances4 ,,ix4 ,tanning ,materials and ,terms4 ,x4 ,tanning ,formulas and ,recipes4 ,,xi4 ,preliminary ,work1 ,soaking1 ,fleshing1 ,degreasing4 ,,xii4 ,softening1 ,cleaning ,skins4 ,,xiii4 ,small or ,light ,furs4 ,,xiv4 ,heavy ,furs4 ,,xv4 ,deer ,skins1 ,buckskin4 ,,xvi4 ,sheep and ,goat ,skins4 ,,xvii4 ,miscellaneous ,skins1 ,gator1 ,snake1 ,birds4 ,,xviii4 ,fur ,dyeing1 ,uses and ,principles4 ,,xix4 ,dyeing ,material and ,appliances4 ,,xx4 ,colors and ,formulas4 ,,xxi4 ,furriers' ,tools and ,supplies4 ,,xxii4 ,making ,up ,furs and ,garments4 ,,xxiii4 ,fur ,robes4 ,,xxiv4 ,fur ,rugs1 ,with and ,without ,mounted ,heads4 ,,xxv4 ,trimmings and ,natural ,heads and ,tails4 ,,xxvi4 ,collars1 ,cuffs and ,odd ,pieces4 ,,xxvii4 ,coats and ,capes4 ,,xxviii4 ,caps1 ,mittens1 ,gloves4 ,,xxix4 ,muffs and ,neckpieces4 ,,xxx4 ,moccasins and ,pacs4 ,,xxxi4 ,utilizing ,fur ,waste4 ,,xxxii4 ,cleaning1 ,repairing and ,storing4 ,,xxxiii4 ,prices for ,tanning and ,other ,fur ,work4 ,,xxxiv4 ,appendix4 ,if you like to handle furs1 skins and hides ,,home ,,manufacture ,,of ,,furs ,,and ,,skins will show you how to make more money out of your catch or buy by tanning1 dyeing and manufacturing into articles for which there is usually a ready market at prices much higher than the raw skins will bring4 ,this book like others on hunting1 trapping1 etc41 that ,i publish is practical and written so that it is easily understood4 ,price1 postpaid1 cloth bound1 to any address1 #a4ej ,a4 ,r4 ,,harding4 ,pub41 ,columbus1 ,o4