^^2 METHODS IN THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 



Of course, if you only desire a cast of one-half of the object, sim- 

 ply use one-half of the mould, coating the inside with shellac, then oil 

 before filling in the plaster. When hardened lay it on a cushion and 

 carefully chisel the plaster mould off as represented in Fig. 6. 



When a mould breaks it may easily be mended with more plaster, 

 or the pieces may be stuck together with glue or shellac. If it is 

 desirable to make a cast of one side of a mammal with the skin on, the 

 hair must be held down with thick clay water so that the plaster will 

 not adhere to it. The whiskers and eyelids may be coated with warm 

 bees-wax. It requires careful manipulating to work a subject out of 

 a mould in this case. 



Casting Fishes. — After all that has been said in Chapter XIII on 

 the skinning and mounting of fishes there is at least one objection 

 which may make a. plaster cast, properly colored^ the most desirable. 

 No matter how well a fish may be skinned and prepared, it is sure to 

 get greasy about the jaws. Those mentioned on page 123 may be the 

 most successfully mounted for a time without this defect, but even 

 these will "grease" sooner or later. The Cat-fishes and many others 

 "grease out" very soon and are utterly worthless as mounted subjects. 

 By making casts we are enabled to obtain correct copies of the shapes 

 and peculiarities of any specimen. When a specimen has any curious 

 appendage, as, for instance, the snout of the Paddle-Fish or Spoon-Bill, 

 Polyoden spathnla^ the body can be cast, the snout or paddle cut off, 

 treated with benzine to get the grease out, poisoned with arsenic and 

 set in position on the cast. 



My method of making a plaster cast of one side of a fish which is 

 mounted in high relief on a flat slab or back-ground is as follows: 

 When the mucus of the fish has been washed off with alum water or 

 diluted vitriol, lay the fish on its side, with the side which is to be cast 

 uppermost, and build clay around the fish until the dipper half only is 

 exposed. Build under the fins, including the caudle one, spreading 

 them out as you may desire, which should of course appear as they are 

 in life. The clay should extend at least one inch beyond the edge of the 

 fish, all around. Now coat the entire exposed portion of the fish very 

 lightly with sweet oil. When this has been done mix up some plaster 

 of Paris and water and pour it on a little at a time until it has com- 

 pletely covered the fish to a thickness of about one-half inch. While 

 you are building on the plaster you can shape the exterior as you 

 please. When the plaster has hardened sufficiently )-ou may turn the 

 mould over, pull off the clay and carefully lift the fish from the mould. 

 You will now have exactly the same kind of a mould as shown in 



