148 



Guide to Taxidermy 



T'mWvm Vy ow 



sewing over and over all around the edge. Make 

 awl holes in the edge of the head at several points 

 where it touches the felt and sew through these. 



The iron to "pink" the felt can be obtained at 

 any hardware dealer's. The felt is laid on the end 

 of a smooth block (a chopping block will do) and 

 the iron tapped through it with a hammer. Of 

 course this is to be done before the felts are sewed 

 together. Irons can be had to produce various 

 shapes, but the one we illustrate on this page is 

 most commonly used and most satisfactory. One 

 that makes a scallop an inch wide will be the most 

 serviceable. A machine can be had for doing this 

 pinking, but it is quite expensive and hand work 

 will suffice unless you are going to make rugs by 

 the hundred. 



The tanning of deer, bear skins, etc., can be done 

 with this same liquor, but it is hard work and no 

 taxidermist would want to undertake it for the 

 price that he can get it done at a tanner's. 



Such skins have to be pared and shaved down 

 fairly thin with a tanner's knife (or a sharp draw- 

 shave will answer), before stretching and applying 

 the liquor. 



