132 



Guide to Taxidermy 





touch of plaster above each, bringing it down so as 

 to form a lid; also build up all muscles and flesh 

 on the face to about their original form. Remember 

 that the more evenly and smoothly you distribute 

 your plaster the less scraping you will have to do 

 to finish it. A long carving knife will be found 

 very useful for smoothing the plaster and scraping 

 it to proper shape, after it is thoroughly hard. The 

 nostrils, mouth and about the eyes can be whittled 

 into shape with the small blade of an old jack- 

 knife; an opening has to be cut for the nostril into 

 which the skin can be tucked, and the same in re- 

 gard to the mouth. The cut on page 150 shows a 

 head all finished in plaster and ready to have the 

 scadp put on. 



Re-laxin^ a Deer Scalp 



If it has been pickled in your bath, it will need 

 no relaxing, just simple rinsing in fresh water. If 

 cured with salt, immerse the skin over night in a 

 tub of water, being sure that all parts are held be- 

 neath the surface (a heavy board floating on the 

 surface of the water is the best means of keeping a 

 skin entirely under). The next morning it will be 

 limp and can be put into a pail of luke-warm water, 

 rubbing any places that have not become thorough- 

 ly soft, before doing so. 



