FINISHING MOUNTED MAMMALS. 157 



hair may be cut off in bunches, either from the animal itself, or 

 from old pieces of skin, so long" as the hair is of the proper 

 length. Notice carefully the set of the hair, and imitate it very 

 exactly. The glue may be applied quite plentifully to the 

 roots of each bunch of hairs while you hold it in your forceps, 

 and usually quite a large bunch may be set on at a time, and 

 afterward spread out a little. In repairing the mountain sheep 

 (Ovis montana) and prong-horn antelope (Antilocapra <nin'i-'n-<> 

 mi}, the point of vital importance is to get every hair to set in 

 precisely the right direction, so that the surface will be smooth. 

 If the hair is put on carelessly, and without due observance 1 .' 

 the above caution, upon the repaired spot it will stick stilily 

 out like the bristles of 'a shoe-brush, and the imperfection of 

 the coat will be painfully apparent. 



3d. Animals with lony />/r growing very thinly ; as upon certain. 

 /nrlions of orang utans, chimpanzees, and all members of the /<</ 

 family. 



Upon the animals indicated above, it will be found that the 

 hair grows in little bunches of three or four hairs in a bunch, 

 but so thinly distributed that the skin shows through quite 

 distinctly. 



Furthermore, in such cases the hairs stand out from the skin, 

 and their roots are plainly visible. Successfully to repair such 

 a skin is very slow T , tedious work, and cannot be done by a man 

 whose time is very valuable. A boy working for small wages is 

 the best means to employ, but he must be watched closely. 



Procure the hair necessary for making the repairs. Then 

 with a sharp awl, or coarse needle, prick the skin full of holes 

 to correspond in number and distribution with the arrange - 

 ment of the tiny hair bunches upon the skin surrounding the 

 spot. Prick the little holes rather deeply and slanting in the 

 right direction. Then take a bunch of three or four hairs in 

 your smallest forceps, dip the end in the fish-glue, and keeping 

 the hairs well together, set the bunch into one of the little 

 holes. See that the hairs stand out in the right direction, and 

 proceed in this way until the bare spot is covered. 



