166 TAXIDERMY AND ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING. 



4. The next step is to cut a board to fit into the lower end of 

 the neck. Its approximate circumference can be determined by 

 measuring 1 the width and depth of the neck the proper distance 

 down. The shape of the board must be about like that shown 

 in Fig 1 . 37 a broad oval, broadest at the top, or else an ellipse. 

 Bevel off the upper and lower ends on opposite sides to match 

 the outline of the neck, and then screw it firmly to the lower 

 end of the neck standard. It may be necessary to alter the shape 

 of the neck-board a little later on, which is easily done. 



5. Now take some excelsior, or straw, or fine, soft hay, and 

 build up a false neck of the proper shape and size to fit the skin 

 by placing the material around the neck standard and winding- 

 it down with cotton twine (Fig. 38). It is a very pleasing task 

 to form a neck by this easy process, and impart to it the grace- 

 ful curves, the taper, and flatness near the head so characteristic 

 of the deer. You can show the windpipe and gullet by sewing- 

 through the neck from side to side, and forming- a hollow from 

 the corner of the jaw down the side of the neck, as shown in the 

 figure. You now have the form of the neck wholly under your 

 control, and your eye and hand will be held accountable for the 

 result. Be careful to make the neck much smaller than it is to 

 be when the skin is on. The thick coat of hair makes a vast 

 difference in the size, and adds perhaps half an inch, or more, 

 all around. 



If you are mounting 1 an old skin that has for years been in a 

 dry state and requires much powerful stretching to bring 1 it out 

 to its proper size, you will be compelled to stuff the neck with 

 straw in the old way, so as to put great pressure upon it from 

 within, and stretch the skin by sheer force. Of course you will 

 lose many of the fine points, but very often a skin is so hard 

 and refractory that it can be mounted in no other way. In 

 working 1 by this method the neck is stuffed from the lower end, 

 and the neck-board fitted and screwed into place afterward. 



6. Make the neck smooth by winding ; make it symmetrical 

 and true to nature, and try the skin on it occasionally to test the 

 proportions of your manikin. There is to be no " stuffing 1 " of 

 the neck after the skin is once on, therefore the manikin must 

 be made correctly. 



7. When the neck is at last finished, work up about half a pail- 



