243 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



plenty of driers in it, and in a few hours it will be ready for use. 

 If this cannot be waited for, cover the mould with a thick skin 

 of putty, upon which arrange two strings crosswise. Surround 

 with the casting-walls of wood or zinc, pour over all a suffi- 

 ciency of plaster, and, as this is setting, pull up the strings, 

 which will cut the mould into four parts. When set, turn all 

 over, and the appearance will be presented of the fish resting 

 in a mould of glue backed up by a jacket of putty and plaster, 

 the oil-putty to prevent the wet plaster from liquefying the glue 

 mould, and the plaster jacket to keep the glue mould stiff and 

 in shape for the casting of the model. 



Take the fish out, and into the glue mould (after the walls 

 have been arranged around it again) pour plaster in the ordi- 

 nary manner. When set, turn ^11 over again, and the plaster 

 jacket of four pieces will easily come off; next remove the 

 putty, and lastly the glue mould, when a plaster fish will appear, 

 with fins and " undercuttings " more perfect — owing to the 

 elasticity of the mould — than can be obtained by any other 

 method, excepting the paraffin wax mould. This is, of course, 

 but a half cast, but if the edges of the first glue mould are 

 sufficiently protected, it is possible to get the remaining half 



A later improvement, which simplifies matters, is to take — 



89. — Glue composition (M.B.) 



Formula 95 glue composition, hot . . 3 parts 



White or red lead in boiled oil) , ^ 



y . . 1 part 



as a stiff paint J 



Mix intimately. 



With this as a mould, anything, from small boulders or 

 fossils to fishes and fruits, may be reproduced, not only in 

 plaster, but actually by any of the paper processes, so water- 

 proof is it, and a jacket of plaster may be used over it as a 

 stiffening support if necessary. 



