310 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



flattened-out impression. Some leaves there are, such as those 

 succulent thickened ones found on certain common sea-coast 

 plants, and some small lanceolate leaves, such as those at the 

 top of the stem of the sea-aster, which do not require moulds 

 for their reproduction : the first class because they are simple, 

 fleshy leaves, ovoid in shape, and with no appreciable rib ; the 

 other class because they are but long, narrow strips, with a 

 simple rib, which the wire, when inserted in the material, 

 imitates very well (see Plate XVII. for leaf-moulds). 



All the moulds, being marked from No. i to 20, or what- 

 ever the bottom number may be, are then dried in a slow 

 oven or before the fire, and left until the next day, when, if 

 dry, they should be boiled for a quarter of an hour in the 



following : — 



100, — Borax Solution (M.B.) 



Borax (common) . . . 8 oz. 



Water (boiling) . . .1 gallon 



When cool, they should present a smooth, glossy appearance, 

 and be nearly as hard as marble ; if not satisfactory — and 

 only experience tells the exact stage, — they should be boiled 

 again. Put them in, to prevent cracking, just before the water 

 boils. 



It having been found, however, that a certain efflorescence 

 ensues which is detrimental to the subsequent processes, and 

 taking also into consideration the liability of the moulds to 

 crack in boiling, the plan has been adopted in the Leicester 

 Museum of using the solution, when cold, with which to mix 

 the plaster. This gives the required hardness and satiny 

 surface, but for this method the leaves must be supported 

 underneath (see ante) and left for twelve hours, so slow is 

 the plaster now in setting. It is better, therefore, to arrange to 

 cast by this process in the evening, and by the next morning 

 the borax will have precipitated, leaving a fine, hard surface 



