OF STUFFING QUADRUPEDS. II 



chopped flax or tow is apt to make inequalities. To give the 

 natural rise to the larger muscles, a piece of sliver should be 

 cut of the length of the protuberance required, and placed in 

 the part, and the sliver wrapped over it. This gives it a very 

 natural appearance. 



The mode of fixing the legs, is by passing one of their 

 pieces of wire into the small ring of the horizontal or middle 

 supporting wire. Pursue the same plan with the other leg, 

 and then twist the two ends firmly together, by the aid of a 

 pair of flat pincers. For an animal of the size of a Cat, the 

 pieces left for twisting must be from five to six inches in length. 

 After being twisted, they are bound on the under side of the 

 body wire, with strong thread : the two legs are then replaced, 

 and put in the form in which we intend to fix them. The skin 

 of the belly and top of the shoulders is then anointed ; and a 

 thick layer of flax placed under the middle wire. The shape 

 is now given to the scapulae on both sides, and all the muscles 

 of the shoulders imitated. These will be elevated or de- 

 pressed, according to the action intended to be expressed. The 

 anterior part of the opening is now sewed up, to retain the 

 stuffing, and to enable us to complete the formation of the 

 shoulders and junction of the neck. This part of the animal 

 is of great importance, as regards the perfection of its form : 

 and much of its beauty will depend upon this being well 

 executed. 



Jf the animal has been recently skinned, the best plan pos- 

 sible is to imitate, as nearly as possible, the muscles of the 

 carcase ; by which many parts will be noticed which might 

 otherwise have been neglected. Even to the comparative 

 anatomist, I address this recommendation : COPY NATURE 



WHENEVER YOU HAVE IT IN YOUR POWER. 



It must be observed as a general rule, that the wires for the 

 hind legs of quadrupeds should always be longer than those of 

 the fore legs. 



The next thing is to form the hind legs and thighs, which 

 must be done, as above described for the fore legs ; but with 

 this difference, that they must be wound round with thread, 

 drawn through the stuffing at intervals, to prevent it slipping 

 up when returned into the skin of the leg. They are then 

 fixed, by passing the leg wires into the second ring of the centre 



