82 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



earth, and, when dry, varnish to give a moist and natural 

 appearance. 



The second method of mounting animals is generally 

 preferred when the skins are green, and removed as de- 

 scribed in the Chapter on preparing animal skms for 

 mounting. The neck-iron is fastened in the skull, the 

 legs made, and the board used as in the first method. The 

 head is pushed up the neck-skin, and the iron fastened to 

 the board, and the legs made. In mounting some of the 

 larger ruminants, like the giraffe, elk, caribou, and deer, 

 it is necessary to insert the leg-irons slightly into the 

 bones at the joints, to present them from being too promi- 

 nent. The legs are worked down the skin in position, 



MANNER OF WIRING SMALL ANIMALS. 



and fastened to the board as described. The body is then 

 filled out by using crammers, and the animal completed 

 as described in the first method. 



In mounting small mammals, the artificial back-bone, 

 or board, is not used. The neck-wire is employed as 

 back-bone. It should be a few sizes larger than the leg- 

 wires, sharpened at one end, and turned double. The 

 long end is run through one nostril cavity, out of the hole 

 in the occipital bone, the short end filling the other nos- 

 tril cavity, and being drawn in tightly. In heads of some 

 animals it is necessary to clinch the neck-wires through 



