METHODS IX THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. o. j 



taken out. Fig. 4, C, represents the last section, showing the "re- 

 taining points" ' formed by the counter-sunk holes in sections A and B. 



The manner of filling the mould to make the cast is as follows: 

 After coating the interior of each piece of the mould with shellac and 

 alcohol, cut a groove around them on the outside in order to bind them 

 firmly together with cord. After giving the inside of each section 

 a coating of oil, place together in their position sections A and C," 

 Fig. 4, filling these first with a thin mixture of plaster; the third, B, 

 should be filled with plaster last and then placed in position and the 

 whole tied together with cord and revolved slowly around until the 

 plaster sets. While turning the mould over and over, tap on it gently 

 in order to have the plaster form in every part, free from air-bubbles. 

 When the plaster is thoroughly dry, workaround the joints by carefully 

 cutting and prying, and the cast may easily be taken out. Innumerable 

 casts may be made from moulds if they are preserved. 



Waste Mould. — This is an excellent method of making casts when 

 only one copy of the object is desired and when you do not care to 

 preserve the mould. Any part of a mammal's carcass, or of a fish, reptile, 

 etc., may be cast by this method. Either the whole object or half of 

 it may be copied. The subject may have undercuts in various places, 

 but if it is soft and fleshy enough to yield and " draw '' from the mould 

 a cast may easily be taken by this process. 



We shall take a raccoon's head to illustrate this manner of 

 making casts. Bury it in damp sand- to half its depth on its side, 

 as shown in Fig. 5. Make the sand around it perfectly smooth and flat. 

 Give the exposed part of the head a coating of sweet or lard oil, being 

 careful not to slight the eye or teeth. Now, mix up some water 

 and plaster and cover the entire exposed portion of the head with the 

 plaster, to about a quarter of an inch in thickness all over. Wait for 

 the plaster to harden. If you want a cast of the entire head, turn the 

 hardened plaster over, with the head in it; paint the edges of the 

 plaster around the head with shellac and, when this is dry, coat the 

 edges and head with oil, and then cover this side with plaster as you 

 did the other. When dry, the two parts of the mould can easily be 

 separated and the head taken out. Before pouring in the plaster to 

 make the cast be sure to give the inside of the mould two or three 

 coats of shellac, and when this is dry give it a coat of oil ; then pour the 

 plaster in each half of the mould, tie them together and turn the mould 

 over constantly until the plaster has set. When the plaster is hard 

 lay it on some soft surface and chisel the mould off carefully. 



1. Or dowel pins. 2. Wet saw-dusl will answer. 



