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Guide to Taxidermy 



sition as you fill it, for it is difficult to bend it after- 

 wards without destroying its symmetry. If yo" 

 wish, and we think it is the better way, you can 

 start a wire in the body at the tail and keep it in 

 the center the whole length. 



This gives a great deal of firmness that is often 

 necessary. We consider the first method to be by 

 far the best, but have both seen and done very satis- 

 factory work by using either. It is best to mount 

 your specimen with the mouth closed until you 

 have become quite expert; it requires a great deal 

 of artistic talent to successfully model the interior 

 of a serpent's mouth. 



