13° TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



the carcase was covered, viz. the insides of the right limbs and 

 upper sides of the left, and also the left side of the body, the 

 left limbs and body being cast in one piece, the right separately. 

 The next morning, the top piece was carefully lifted off, being 

 supported by two men, whilst another pulled and shook the fore 

 and hind limbs gently to release them. This being successful, 

 the stage which supported the whole was knocked away, leaving 

 the under limbs free to be dealt with ; these were released in 

 like manner. The animal's carcase was then pulled off the 

 board, and the largest piece of casting, viz. that of ■ the left side, 

 placed in its stead. This casting or mould being carefully 

 packed underneath where not quite flat, in order to make all 

 solid for fear of breakage, the carcase was gently forced into it, 

 the neck now, of course, pointing to the right. At one or two 

 places the limbs were difficult to get into the «jr«t^ former posi- 

 tion, having been a little cast over, forming an " undercut," but 

 by patience every line and muscle was coaxed into place, and 

 the carcase lay with its left side downwards within the mould. 

 The inner sides of the left limbs were now surrounded with clay 

 resting on the edges of, or just outside, the mould, to a sufficient 

 height and^ thickness. Into this, mixed plaster was poured as 

 before until it rose up the chest, and at the tail, to the points 

 where the other moulds ceased. Allowing time for the drying of 

 the plaster (half an hour in the preceding operation), the moulds 

 of the inside of the right limbs were blocked into position upon 

 the others, the extent of stride and width between the limbs being 

 found by the manner in which they could be forced, or natur- 

 ally fell, into their former position. This being satisfactorily 

 determined, and the whole of the right upper surface remaining 

 to be cast, boards were nailed and " strutted " around the 

 moulds in which the carcase reposed, and clay was used to 

 plug all fissures into which the plaster might penetrate to its 

 loss, or to the undesirable filling up of crevices in the other 



