CASTING FROM A TIGER 131 



moulds, and all being greased, as before, with a mixture of 

 lard and oil, the plaster, mixed in a large vessel, was spread 

 over all the flesh in sight as a thin coating, followed immedi- 

 ately by more and more until the required thickness was 

 attained, — and so ended another day. The next morning the 

 body of the tiger was removed, and the two halves and the four 

 inside limb-moulds were set up on edge to dry. The weight 

 of these moulds was considerable, some hundredweights of 

 common plaster being used. Plate III. shows the moulds, etc. 

 Pending the drying of these moulds, all the flesh possible 

 was cut from the carcase, which was then dismembered by 

 the fore limbs being disconnected from the scapulae, the hind 

 limbs from the pelvis, and by the vertebrae being severed at the 

 dorsal and lumbar regions, making three pieces. These, with 

 two scapulas, pelvis, and four limbs, made, in all, ten portions 

 (exclusive of the skull, which was left in the skin for mounting ; 

 this not being, however, a serious matter, as tigers' skulls are far 

 more easily procurable than an entire or part skeleton). Each 

 limb was, with all its parts, sewn up separately in calico, num- 

 bered, and carefully boiled in a copper until the flesh could be 

 easily picked off" the bones, but not so long as to allow it to fall 

 off, nor to cause the epiphyses of the bones to do the same. Each 

 limb, being separately treated, had its various parts drilled and 

 wired together with copper, was boiled afterwards for an hour 

 or so, then placed in warm water with Hudson's soap for a day 

 to get out the grease, and was finally laid in a shallow tray out 

 in the sun, wind, and rain for a week or so. These processes 

 of skeletonising — except the latter, of course — took up a man's 

 time for a week. During this time another m?.n was preparing 

 the paper model. One of the halves of the mould, being 

 placed upon the work-table, was propped until it lay flat ; the 

 inside and edges, the latter previously trimmed, were greased. 

 A half-bucketful of flour-paste was made, and some thin but 



