MUSEUMS. 537 



that of a ramrod (or larger and thicker still, if the bulk of the animal 

 require it), and shaped at one end like a carpenter's pricker, he will 

 push out every part of the skin which ought to be pushed out, and 

 then reduce with the end of his finger any part that may be too 

 prominent ; having already made divers small holes in the skin with 

 his penknife, in order to afford entrance to the working-iron. Thus, 

 a small hole on the top of the head will enable him to reach the 

 nose, upper lip, and cheeks ; another behind the root of each ear ; 

 another under the jaws ; others, again, on the back, that he may 

 reach the legs and remaining parts of the body. Under each foot 

 there will also be a hole, to give him the opportunity of getting at 

 the toes. The lips are by far the most difficult part to manage. 

 The operator must have a working-iron in both hands. One of 

 these will do the work within the head, and the other that without : 

 for the lips require to be re-formed with a beautiful rotundity ; and 

 this can only be effected by means of the inner and the outer irons 

 working in opposite directions. During the actual operation, the' 

 animal need not be kept in its original position. A smaller animal 

 may be placed on the operator's lap : the larger may be thrown on 

 the ground, or on the table. Every day the nose, and lips, and 

 orbits ought to be touched with the oil and turpentine, in order to 

 keep them moist. At first, after you have used the working-iron 

 in every quarter where it is required, there will be no appearance of 

 a re-formation of the features. Nevertheless, in the due course of 

 time, as the skin stiffens, the artist will see the features gradually 

 appear; and every day he will be more and more content with his 

 work. At last, the skin will retain the slightest impression com- 

 municated to it by the touch of the working-iron. Thus the artist 

 will have it fully in his power to reproduce wrinkles, or warts, or 

 hollows, or a smooth surface, just as occasion may require. 



The fur will be equally under his command. He will raise it, or 

 depress it, according to circumstances, and it will retain the position 

 ever after. Thus a stuffed cat in anger will exhibit a tail of the same 

 extraordinary bulk which it does when a dog threatens its existence. 



All animals ought to be well washed in soap and water with a 

 hard brush, before they are skinned. This will have a surprising 

 effect in beautifying the fur. 



