248 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



gate the principles of stereotyping, and this suggested what 

 may be termed — 



The Direct Paper Process 



This can be applied to the making of copies of such objects 

 as fishes, although the heavy beating required by the prepared 

 paper in stereotyping — which is all very well upon a metal 

 base — :is far too rough when applied upon a plaster mould. A 

 judicious blending, however, of both theatrical and typographical 

 paper moulding resulted in the successful accomplishment of 

 the model of a huge skate which, previously done in plaster, 

 taxed the united strength of several men to lift, and was then 

 far too heavy to be trusted upon the walls of any museum. 

 But when finished in paper it was light enough to be held out 

 easily in one hand, and, although not so well done as subsequent 

 specimens have been, yet, as it has remained unchanged for 

 ten years, it may be as well to note the method pursued, and 

 the improvements upon it since that time. The mould having 

 been oiled, thin white paper, such as is called "lining paper," 

 and is sold in rolls of twelve yards by the paper-hangers, was 

 laid down in moderate-sized pieces, dry upon the side next the 

 mould, and pasted upon the upper surface, followed by four 

 more layers of the same paper, pasted, and afterwards by five 

 layers of brown paper glued — ten layers in all, all carefully 

 laid, and beaten with a stiff brush. 



When dried and lifted out of the mould, it was seen that 

 the first paper had not properly united, but hung in ribbons, 

 and therefore required pasting down, which took out a great 

 deal of the sharpness. 



Further experiments showed that the paper used first 

 should be tissue-paper, pasted on the side next to the mould — to 

 which it does not adhere when dry, if the mould be suitably 

 greased or oiled, — and that each piece should be laid as free 



