70 



PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



■tached, the board in the cast will be long enough, and 

 should have a long base-board for the neck, as shown in 

 the illustration. 



The horns should next be fastened to the skull in this 



wise : With a brace 



and long bit, bore 



two holes into the 



top of the skull, 



about two inches 



apart, and so ar- 

 ranged as to be di- 

 rectly over the 



wood in the cast. 



Countersink the 



holes to receive the 



heads of the screws, 



which should be 



long and run deep 



into the wood in 

 the cast, thereby holding the horns firmly in position. 

 Perfect the anatomy by modelling with potter's clay, 

 where the skull bone joins the cast, and the head is 

 ready for covering. 



The skin should be well moistened on the flesh side with 

 arsenical soap, and drawn over the cast ; and the neck- 

 board should be fastened in a vise, with the cast and horns 

 upright, to facilitate sewing. "Waxed hemp-twine and a 

 heavy three-sided, post-mortem needle is best adapted for 

 sewing up the skin. Gather the skm around each antler ; 

 •draw it tightly about the base of the horns, by slightly 

 •puckering, and tie fast. Take a stitch through the two 

 points of skin at the base of each antler, and tie firmly. 

 Sew with the two strings from each horn to the middle, 

 by cross-stitching from the under side ; then tie tightly 

 together, cutting one string, and leaving the other to 

 continue the seam down the back of the neck. Close the 



BASE-BOARD FOR LONG 

 NECK. 



BASE-BOARD FOR 

 SHORT NECK. 



