52 THE NATURALIST'S GUIDE. 



legs so far up, and at such an acute angle, and the joints 

 of the forelegs down at such an angle, that the two will 

 almost touch. This rule should always be followed. 



The preceding method may be applied when mounting 

 all animals below the size of a Newfoundland dog. Larger 

 animals are mounted in the following manner : Fill out 

 the space occupied by the muscles of the head and legs 

 in the manner already described. Procure five iron rods, 

 with a shoulder cut at each end, upon which fit a cap 

 (Plate IX. Fig. *2, B) ; on the extreme end have a thread 

 cut with a nut to fit (A), the distance between the nut 

 and cap should be about an inch and a half. Cut a piece 

 of plank, an inch and a half thick, about two thirds as 

 long and wide as the body of the mammal to be mounted ; 

 bore five holes in it, as indicated in Fig. 1, A. Fasten 

 one rod (8) firmly to the skull by drilling a hole through 

 the top and placing the cap in the proper position. Screw 

 the nut on well (14), and place the lower end of the rod in 

 the hole in the plank prepared for it (11) ; fasten it firmly. 

 Now stuff the neck out with hemp to the proper size. Drill 

 a hole through the hoofs, or bottom of the feet, into the 

 hollow of the bones (2, 4) ; force the rod (7, 7, 7, 7) up 

 through this hole, through the stuffing of the legs, and 

 fasten them into the plank (5, 6). Force a wire into the 

 tail and clinch it firmly in the wood (15). By winding up 

 grass or hemp, imitate the various sections of the body 

 taken out, and place them in the proper positions (16), 

 making allowance for the plank and rods. Or a better 

 way is to take casts in plaster of the different parts and 

 place them in the proper position. 



Everything must be solid, to avoid sinkings and depres- 

 sions in the skin. In this way the student can mount 

 an animal of any size by increasing the size of the rods and 

 plank. The ends of the rods must be fastened into a 

 plank stand (10) by passing them through holes drilled 

 in it (17, 17, 17, 17). 



