266 TAXIDERMY AND ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING. 



to be too sticky. With a small wire, cut it into slabs about 

 three- quarters of an inch thick, and with these cover the entire 

 object to the depth mentioned. Put the clay on everywhere 

 the same thickness, making- it conform to the irregularities of 

 the surface. This clay will presently be exactly replaced with 

 gelatine. 



Having- coated the object as described, make a plaster Paris 

 mould of the whole of it, in two parts, which separate horizon- 

 tally around the outermost edge. When you make a plaster 

 mould of the upper half, erect a high cone of clay over the 

 centre of the meteorite as it lies flat upon the table, so that it 

 will make a funnel-shaped hole in the upper half of the mould, 

 through which you can pour in the gelatine. Of course the two 

 pieces of this plaster mould must fit nicely together, with coun- 

 tersunk holes. This plaster mould of the clay-covered object is 

 called the "jacket," and its use will soon be apparent. Now 

 for the gelatine. 



Recipe for Gelatine Moulds. The gelatine compound is made 

 by taking glue and glycerine in the following proportions, 

 varying the quantity to suit the size of the object : Of best 

 Irish glue, 3 pounds; glycerine, l pounds; and about 1| ounces 

 of white -wax. Dip the glue in water, and then roll it up over 

 night in several thicknesses of wet cloth, so as to soften it with- 

 out soaking it in water, which is an element to be kept out. In 

 the morning the glue will be soft. Procure a large-sized glue- 

 pot, or improvise one by putting a small tin pail in a larger 

 one, with water between, and in this put the glue and glycerine 

 and cook it up. Melt the wax separately, and pour it in after 

 the other is well mixed and hot. A gelatine mould can be 

 made of any degree of hardness by adding dry white zinc which 

 has been carefully ground in a mortar, but ordinarily none is 

 necessary. 



To make the g-elatine mould the clay must all be taken off 

 the object, andthe latter washed clean. Lay the lower half of 

 the " jacket " upon the table, inside uppermost, and drive four 

 small wire hails into it at different points, allowing each one to 

 project just three-fourths of an inch, for the meteorite to rest 

 upon, and give space for the gelatine to flow underneath and 

 form that part of the mould. Now put the meteorite carefully in 



