3o6 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



come into contact with some sheets of white wax, which it was 

 at first deemed to have spoiled. Arrowroot must be rubbed or 

 brushed firmly in, and sometimes on both sides of the wax 

 or fabric, and nothing will remove it except washing. Dry 

 colouring is, therefore, the only available method when treating, 

 say, an apple-blossom, as wet colours, unless very carefully 

 managed, run and look streaky. Add a little dry flake white, 

 rubbed up with the arrowroot, should the latter not be suffi- 

 ciently white. 



To make Ribs for Modelled Leaves 



The large veins or " ribs " vary so much in different plants 

 as to necessitate separate instructions being given for making 

 them. In some leaves a large central vein extends from the 

 leaf-stem or petiole to the apex, and is called the mid-rib or 

 costa ; other leaves have three or more large veins, called ribs, 

 proceeding from the base to the apex ; whilst others again, 

 consisting of five or more lobes, and called respectively 

 palmate or palmatifid, have a rib in each lobe — all branching 

 from one point, either at the base, or a little above the base of 

 the leaf Although there are, it is needless to say, many other 

 forms of leaves, these are all which need be considered with 

 special reference to the making of ribs, and, in all the forms 

 under notice, the ribs have one characteristic in common ; 

 that is to say, they are all extremely fine at the apex, and 

 gradually increase in thickness towards the base. In most 

 leaves, the rib or ribs have a somewhat transparent appearance, 

 and in all cases it is better to use uncoloured wax, and fine 

 wire encased in white silk, or, better still, bristles, wherever 

 they are available. 



Commence, therefore, by cutting a strip of wax, rather 

 longer than the rib to be imitated if for a small leaf, beginning 

 almost as a point, and gradually increasing the width to the 



