FINISHING MOUNTED MAMMALS. l."Jl 



If, however, the hair has not yet been poisoned, as soon as 

 the cleaning 1 is finished lay the animal upon its buck, or on its 

 side, and pour into the hair, so that it will run immediately 

 down to the roots, a solution of alcohol, water, and corrosive 

 sublimate made as follows : If you wish to make four gallons of 

 the solution, take two gallons of ninetj^-nve per cent, alcohol, 

 dissolve in it all tli3 corrosive sublimate it will take up, mak- 

 ing what chemists call a " saturated solution." In this there 

 will always be a little of the sublimate left on the bottom of 

 the jar. This is, of course, too strong to use thus, under any 

 circumstances. Carefully pour off the clear liquid so as to 

 leave the sediment remaining in the jar, and then dilute the 

 former with an equal qaantity of water, which thus yields the 

 desired four gallons. It is most effectually applied by pouring 

 it from a small watering-pot, with the sprinkler off the spout, 

 into the hair, so that it will fill it and, cover the skin without 

 being wasted. The corrosive sublimate is deposited at the 

 roots of the hair, and also on the hair, in quantity sufficient to 

 prevent the ravages of insects, but not to be injurious to the 

 health of the taxidermist. Strong- arsenic water may be used 

 for this pupose, instead of the other solution, if preferred. In 

 case the solution used should leave a gray deposit on the hair, 

 it should be sponged off with a little warm water. 



PAPIEII-MACHE. How to Make and Use If. Every taxidermist 

 must know how to make g-ood papier-mache before his educa- 

 tion can be considered complete. This material is absolutely 

 indispensable in taxidermic work, and its composition should 

 be thoroughly understood. It is used in filling up holes, 

 seams, and cracks, in modeling the mouth parts of specimens 

 that have been mounted with the mouth open, in restoring miss- 

 ing parts of various specimens, in modeling bones to go in 

 " restored " skeletons, etc. It is also of great value in model- 

 ing- groundwork to be made in imitation of rock or wood. 

 There is really no good substitute for this material. AYhen 

 properly made it sticks tightly to its place, is easily modeled, 

 can be crowded into the smallest crack, dries quickly when ex- 

 posed to the air, is hard and smooth when dry, takes paint 

 readily, and yet when kept wrapped in a wet cloth under an 

 inverted bowl can be kept soft for several days. 



