274 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



teaches, should be rapidly yet firmly brushed over the whole 

 surface, care being taken to work it well into every crevice 

 and undercut with a medium-sized brush, and, if there are 

 lengths or small channels — such as would occur in the mould 

 of the tentacular arms of a sepia, — with an artist's small hog- 

 hair brush. Carefully yet quickly done, this, with rules Nos. i 

 and 2 attended to, will prevent any vexatious "blows," or 

 vacancies which the composition has not filled. 



When the coating is sufficiently thick, varying from a 

 sixteenth to a quarter of an inch according to the size of the 

 specimen, it should be left to cool, and will be ready to lift in 

 about two hours in the case of a small fish, and in double that 

 time in the case of a fish of the original weight of lo or 

 12 lbs. 



Sometimes it will be found advisable to fill separate parts 

 of a piece-mould, and afterwards to put them together and 

 brush in hot modelling-glue to join and finish, and sometimes 

 parts of a piece-mould can be brushed in and put together after- 

 wards, or bodies may be made hollow by brushing instead of 

 pouring in, or a mass may be poured into each part and the 

 mould closed and turned about until cold, and difficulties may 

 be overcome in various ways which experience will suggest. 



The joining-together of separate parts of a glue model is 

 managed by means of glue-composition, ordinary glue, glued 

 paper, or small splinters of wood, pointed at both ends, glued, 

 and inserted into the two ends or surfaces to be united. 



An easy method of getting a cast without " blows," and 

 also of making it deliver easily from a mould, is to wet the 

 mould with hot water ; but it certainly makes the model 

 watery and apt to crack or break off short in more places than 

 one, and is, therefore, not recommended. 



When sufficiently cool, the glue model will be, if properly 

 made, tough and elastic enough to lift away from curves and 



