) 36 TAXIDERMY. 



oil of turpentine and wax, as we wish to render the 

 luting more or less brittle, or more or less elastic. 

 In the first trial we can determine the proper quan- 

 tities. We melt the wax and the resin, then add 

 the ochre in small portions, and at each addition 

 stir it briskly with a spatula; when this mixture has 

 boiled seven or eight minutes, pour hi the oil of 

 turpentine, mix it, and continue, to boil it. We 

 must take proper precaution to prevent the inflam- 

 mation of these substances, in case it does take 

 place, we must have close by our side a lid witli 

 a handle to it, to cover the vessel and extinguish 

 the flame immediately. The vessel should have a 

 handle, and be able to hold three times as much as 

 the quantity of luting we w r ish to make. To ascer- 

 tain the quality of the luting, we put a little from 

 time to time upon a cold plate, and we instantly 

 see its degree of tenacity. One great advantage of 

 this luting is, the being able to prepare it aboard 

 ship, and to employ it as soon as we have procured 

 the fish and mollusca, and put them into spirits. 

 After having corked the bottles, and wiped them 

 well with a dry cloth, to take away all humidity, 

 we heat the cement to the boiling point ; we stir it 

 well from the bottom, fasten a piece of old linen to 

 the end of a stick, and with this rude brush we 

 apply a layer of lithocolle over the whole surface of 

 the cork ; sometimes the luting, by penetrating the 

 cork, makes the spirits of wine evaporate and burst 



