154 TAXIDERMY AND ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING. 



a pane of glass, it stuck tightly and dried hard in three hours, 

 without cracking, and could only be removed with a knife. 

 When spread in a layer, as thin as writing-paper, it dried in half 

 an hour. A mass actually used dried hard enough to coat with 

 wax in eighteen hours, and, without cracking, became as hard as 

 wood; yet a similar quantity wrapped in a wet cloth and placed 

 under an inverted bowl kept soft and fit for use for au entire 

 week. 



Such are the qualities of first-class papier-mache, and the 

 manner of producing them all. I have dwelt at great length on 

 this material because it is such an important and indispensable 

 factor in general taxidermic work. It will pay any taxidermist 

 to become an expert in making it and using it, and a little later, 

 when we get to modeling intricate mouth parts, and making all 

 sorts of restorations and repairs, we shall see what a valuable 

 servant is papier-mache. 



"MACHEING" MOUNTED MAMMALS. Surely it is unnecessary 

 for me to devote much space to directing how to fill up with 

 papier-mache the holes, seams, and cracks in a mounted mam- 

 mal. Of course all cavities opened by shrinkage or accident 

 must be filled up. Use a sharp-pointed knife, press the fine and 

 soft mache deeply into every opening, make it catch underneath 

 the skin, so that when dry it cannot flake off, or be knocked off; 

 and smooth it on the outside to the level of the skin. Use the 

 mache liberally, and it will be more certain always to remain 

 as you leave it. Fill up rough seams until they are smooth, so 

 that the hair can be glued on if necessary. Wherever dry clay 

 shows, dig it out and replace with the other more durable ma- 

 terial, which can be painted, whereas dry clay can not. 



PUTTY. In the days of my youth I was taught by my Euro- 

 pean teachers to use putty for all such work as that described 

 above ; but I very soon became disgusted with it, and years ago 

 ceased to use it for any purpose whatever. It is greasy, inert, 

 and yet purely temporary stuff. It never gets really hard un- 

 less used in a great mass, and when used in small quantities for 

 fine work it is utterly worthless. Do not use it unless you are so 

 situated that you are positively unable to make papier-mache 

 and I cannot imagine any such situation as being possible with- 

 in the pale of civilization. 



