144 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



V-shaped pieces were cut away, and ^ *''°" rods, simply 

 flattened out at one end and drilled with two holes for screws, 

 were provided, and, being thin and easily bent around, were 

 not screwed at the bottom, but were fixed into their pieces of 

 •I" bottom boards by simply bending the ends underneath and 

 clenching them. Before this could be done, however, one 

 body-board, with the rods attached, was placed in each half, the 

 rods accurately fitting inside, and following the hollows of, 

 the limbs. Three nails were driven through the model from 

 the outside into the board to keep it in position, and glued tow 

 or fibre was lightly packed under and over the boards, each 

 parcel of tow being glued separately here and there until a 

 solid mass was attained ; the boards being brought just level, 

 or a little below the edges, the neck, and chest, and all parts 

 where the boards did not touch were padded with glued 

 material. The legs, being small, were carefully fixed to the iron 

 rods, all being kept in place by strips of glued brown paper 

 folded and twisted around. Each half was then finished by 

 gluing large pieces of brown paper over the body-board and 

 its packing from side to side of the body, keeping all flat and 

 secure. 



The next morning, the two halves were fixed upon their 

 foot-boards, stayed up into position on the bottom board, and, 

 a little glued tow having been used to attach the two sides, 

 were sewn together at the edges of the paper model, this 

 process having the effect of bringing the edges together in a 

 more even manner, and giving all a better shape than any 

 other method. The inner halves of the limbs were attached 

 to the half-models by being filled with paper, glued, placed in 

 position, and sewn where required. Next the head, previously 

 cast in paper, was fixed upon the neck-rod. Muslin was glued 

 over all the edges, and the final coat of whitewash given. 



The improvements in this case were — i. Superior lightness 



