170 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



CHAPTER XXXI. 



USEFUL ORNAMENTS FROM ANTLERS AND FEET. 



The horns of all animals can be used in a great variety 

 of ways in ornamental work. The value of antlers de- 

 pends much on the regularity of their prongs, which 

 gives them a convenient shape. 



Elk and mule-deer have the most even horns, though 

 those of the Virginia deer are the prettiest in color and 

 surface. The heavy palmate horns of the moose are of- 

 ten found with great regularity, and, when well curved, 

 make substantial racks for guns, clothing, etc. 



The thin, long, light palmated antlers of the caribou 

 are usually inconvenient in shape, and are used chiefly 

 as ornaments. Antlers of the white-tailed deer are often 

 regular and very pretty in appearance, though there is 

 not a species in the genus Cervus which bears antlers of 

 such varying forms as the Virginia deer. In my collec- 

 tion of over one hundred pairs of antlers of this species, 

 there are scarcely two pairs that are at all alike. 



Large horns " make up " best m hat or gun-racks. 

 They should be mounted in accordance with the place 

 they are designed to occupy, the matter of space being 

 closely studied. When room is limited, they should be 

 mounted as flat as possible on a stout, wide shield, hung 

 with two screw-hooks, to prevent turning when the weight 

 is uneven. Standard racks of walnut, with one or more 

 pairs of antlers tastefully attached, make popular orna- 

 ments for large halls. The large antlers are generally 

 placed at the bottom, and all are firmly mounted on a 

 carved middle standard piece. The tips of elk and deer 



