114 



Guide to Taxidermy 



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difficult works of taxidermy and we would strongly 

 advise against your undertaking it until you have 

 had your practice on smaller animals by the pre- 

 vious method, and also on shaggy ones by this 

 method. Do not "tackle" the most difficult job 

 first, for unless you are a wonder, failure will be 

 very disheartening; the more so on account of the 

 time consumed. We have outlined the steps as fully 

 as possible, but taxidermy is an art and art can be 

 developed by nothing except practice. 



Putting on the Skin 



Your manikin is now completed with all the mus- 

 cles showing, and finished down to the last joint on 

 all the legs, which of course, must be sufficiently 

 elevated from the base to allow the feet to be placed 

 under them. 



The skin should be thoroughly relaxed; if you 

 have not allowed it to dry up, a good coating of ar- 

 senical soap will put it into good condition. If 

 dried, soak the skin in water as described for deer 

 scalps under "mounting heads." Short-haired dogs 

 or members of the deer family do not require that 

 the hair should be dried out before putting the skin 

 on the manikin, but if your specimen has long hair, 

 like a shepherd or Newfoundland dog, bear, etc., it 

 will be necessary to thoroughly dry the hair or fur; 



