76 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



CHAPTER X. 



MOUNTING ANIMALS. 



Taxidermists have various methods of their own foi 

 mounting animals ; whatever mode, however, they may 

 pursue, the exclusive use of soft stuffing is an error. 

 Mammals can be well mounted in but two ways. One 

 is to form a body complete, and place the skin over it ; 

 the other plan is to model the head and neck, make the 

 legs and insert them separately, fastening each one to the 

 artificial back-bone, and then build out the body until the 

 anatomy is perfected. Seals are mounted in this manner. 

 The first method is usually employed in mounting large, 

 thick-legged animals, such as the bear, panther, wolver- 

 ene, raccoon, lion, tiger, jaguar, etc. In mounting short- 

 haired animals by this method, 

 the seams down the legs should 

 be made in the neatest manner, 

 or they will disfigure the speci- 

 mens. For mounting a bear by 

 first making the body complete, proceed as follows : Pour 

 the skull full of plaster, insert a stout iron lod, bent 

 double, inside the skull, and when the plaster is set, it 

 will be immovable. Next make an artificial back-bone of 

 one and a half- inch pine plank, shaped as in the il- 

 lustration. 



Bend the neck-iron double, and clinch to the side of 

 the board with wire staples, allowing the proper length 

 for the neck. Then, with small annealed wire, fasten 

 the leg-bones to the leg-irons, bending them at the joints 

 to the desired shape. Build out the anatomy of the legs 

 and quarters by winding pads of excelsior, or tow, with 

 string. Substitute the main cords of the hind legs run- 

 ning from the hocks with wires having a covering of cot- 



