TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



The limbs having been modelled up with tow and clay to 

 their natural shape, the head must now be considered. With 

 the tool No. 7, take out the eyes from their orbits ; then cut 

 a triangular piece of bone from the palate near the base of 

 the skull, and, with the same tool (No. 7), remove the brains 

 through the opening thus made. With the knife and scissors, 

 remove all the flesh from the sides of the face and all other 

 parts of the head, getting out the wetter portions about the 

 nose and so on by twisting in a wire with wadding, or using 

 the tool No. 7. The cartilage of the nostrils must also be 

 removed, and the lips split. 



The lining or cartilage of the ear has now to be separated 

 from its outer skin. Hold this lining — which is, of course, the 

 whitish part of the ear — firmly with the fingers of one hand, 

 and, with the others, separate it from the outer part up to the 

 extreme edge, which is marked by a darker line ; when this is 

 done, trim away all the flesh from the base. (A more detailed 

 description of this rather delicate operation, and also of the 

 skinning-out of the nostrils and the splitting of the lips, is 

 given at pp. 125 and 150, in the paragraphs relating to the 

 skinning of those parts in a tiger's and a deer's head respectively.) 



The skin of the ears, now turned completely inside out, 

 must be painted with the preservative, and so left whilst the 

 head is made up. This is done by packing wadding into the 

 orbits only, and tow into all other parts of the skull whence 

 flesh has been removed, and finally covering all with clay 

 until the head is of the natural shape. Next paint the re- 

 mainder of the skin of the body inside. 



The ears of the rabbit, and, indeed, of any mammal, must 

 be blocked, otherwise they will shrink. There are several 

 methods of doing this, but commonly one of the ears is 

 flattened upon cardboard, traced around, and, if cut just within 

 the pencil-mark, the piece is not too large ; for the other ear 



