1 88 METHODS IN THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 



Comb out the fur with a fine steel comb and, by using pressure 

 with your hands, squeeze the squirrel into better proportions if pos- 

 sible ; if he is to sit on his haunches give his back the characteristic 

 curve, and gracefully turn the tail over the back ; push the thighs up 

 close to the body ; press the heels closer together than the feet. Now 

 measure the distance between each of the hind feet and drill two holes 

 in a board the same distance apart for the reception of the wires of the ' 

 hind feet. Two other holes should be made in the board in order to run 

 the wires back into the board from underneath to clinch them. If you 

 desire to have the squirrel mounted on the limb of a tree eating a nut, 

 as our little gray squirrel appears in Plate LXII, Fig. 3, fasten the 

 limb on the board by means of screws and then drill holes in the limb 

 the proper distance apart for the leg wires. If our squirrel is to be 

 placed on all fours as the fox squirrel is seen in Plate XLVII, Fig. 2, 

 the same method must be resorted to and four holes should be drilled 

 to receive the wires of all the feet. One of the most pleasing attitudes 

 in which to place a squirrel, with appropriate artificial or natural sur- 

 roundings is illustrated in Fig. 2, Plate LXII. Mounted on its pedes- 

 tal our squirrel needs shaping up in general. Look carefully all over 

 the specimen ; if you find any hollows where they should not be, 

 thrust an awl through the skin, catch hold of some of the tow and 

 raise the hollow into a hill if necessary. Make the proper eleva- 

 tion and smoothness at all hazards. If there is a hump where a 

 hollow should be, work the elevation out by pressing and distributing 

 the extra filling with your fingers and the awl. See that every outline 

 is symmetrical ; watch the proportions on every side and make them 

 match one another. Now let us turn our attention to the head. If 

 you have failed to cover the head with clay equally on both sides, 

 or if there is a deficiency apparent on either side, fill it out with 

 chopped tow; make both cheeks alike. Fill in the lips with clay and 

 press them into shape with your fingers, moulding the skin of the 

 cheeks and lips close to the clay where they will remain in place when 

 dry. Insert the eyes next by filling the sockets with clay mixed with 

 strong glue-water or imbed them in papier-mache. Put the eyes in 

 edgewise and turn them over flat with the point of a darning needle or 

 awl. Nicely adjust the eyelids over the glass eye, being careful not to 

 have them bulge out too far. See that the eyes are set alike in their 

 sockets — that they are both looking in the same direction. The ears 

 should be pinned close to card-board cut the shape of the ear. The 

 toes of each foot should be carefully arranged and pinned in 

 position — a point which many taxidermists overlook, and which is 



