MOUNTING ANIMALS. 81 



mals in the flesh will be found very useful for beginners. 

 It is not necessary to have a cast from a whole head. 

 Take impressions, in plaster, of one eye, the nose and 

 lips, and from these, clay casts may be made, in a few 

 seconds, which will serve as models. 



The anatomy of the head should be first "roughed 

 out " over the skull with plaster or cement. The skin 

 should then be tacked in position, with the eyes straight. 

 The under jaw is modelled first, and the skin covering it 

 held in position by stitching across the inside" of the 

 mouth. Small wire tacks may also be used in favorable 

 places ; when a wooden skull is used, the tacks may be 

 employed altogether. The nose should be well filled with 

 clay or cement ; a mixture of plaster and glue is very 

 substantial, but it hardens so quickly that it can only be 

 used by experienced hands. The skin of the lips should 

 be turned in under, it being full to the natural thickness. 

 The upper lip is next formed into shape, and worked 

 down to a natural position. The features are gradually 

 worked out, the eyes set, the ears erected by sewing on 

 pieces of pasteboard, the hair on the head combed and 

 brushed smooth. The animal is then ready for drying. 

 "When dry, any shrinkage in the eyelids, nose, or lips, 

 should be filled out by modelling with white-lead, thick- 

 ened with Paris white. The eyes, lips, and claws should 

 be painted naturally, and varnished. 



When mounting an animal with the mouth closed, a 

 crude wooden skull will answer if the head is properly 

 modelled. To finish a head with mouth open, as for ex- 

 ample 1 in the case of the peccaries, wedge the jaws apart, 

 and draw back the lips to show the teeth. When the head is 

 dry, remove the wedge, model the throat in cement, and 

 cast, model, or carve a tongue, with two sharp wires in its 

 base for thrusting securely down the throat. Model about 

 the bottom and under the tongue, connecting it naturally. 

 Paint usually with vermilion, flaks-white, and cassel 



