METHODS IN THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. I 87 



cross each other in their proper places. Take the center wire on 

 which you have made the artificial tail and form two loops with your 

 round-nosed pliers. These loops should be formed where the wires of 

 the legs cross each other in the skin. Insert the end of the center 

 wire into the opening you have made in the back of the skull and then 

 through either the right or left nasal cavity. If the skin of the tail has 

 been slit open simply lay the artificial tail in place in the tail skin ; if not, 

 draw the center wire out through the nose as far as necessary and 

 carefully insert the artificial tail in its skin by forcing it entirely to the 

 point. You may now insert the leg wires into the loops (see Plate XLV) 

 and twist them on the center wire. Give the entire inside of the skin a 

 coat of arsenical paste. Everything is in readiness for the body filling. 

 Now adjust the eyelids so that they will come in their proper place over 

 the eye orbit and then drive a tack over each eye through the skin and 

 into the skull. This is of great importance as they will hold the skin of 

 the head in place. The tacks are removed when the specimen is about 

 finished or ready to put away to dry on its temporary stand. But 

 before we fill the skin with finely chopped tow we must arrange the 

 legs in their proper position and give them the pose we expect the ani- 

 mal to assume when mounted. We can bend the wires at the head of 

 the humerus and femur at a right angle, and by referring to the outline 

 and accurate measurements (which should always be taken before- 

 hand) know that they are the same distance apart as they were when 

 they were attached to the pelvis and the shoulder blade. Cover the 

 center or body wire and others that are visible with tow. Now begin 

 to fill the neck with fine tow, and also around the hips, shoulders and 

 the base of the tail, and from these points the entire skin should be 

 filled out in a general way, gradually and equally filling out the cor- 

 responding parts on all sides, being careful to make both sides alike. 

 If the skin of the tail has been slit open adjust the artificial tail which 

 you have made on the center or body wire and neatly sew it up. When 

 you have filled the skin out evenly in every part begin to sew up the 

 opening, using the understitch for this purpose, for the seam can easily 

 be covered by lifting the hairs over the stitches when finished (see Plate 

 XLVII, Fig. 1). While you are sewing up the opening is the time to 

 detect any portion of the body which needs more or less filling in the 

 different parts, and this should be done as you proceed. 



There is no rule or rules for securing a correct attitude of an ani- 

 mal. It will all depend upon your knowledge of its anatomy, your 

 conception of what the ideal should be, and your p.ower to execute and 

 imitate. 



