33° TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



out of pale green fabric lined with wax, leaving an uncut centre of 

 about a quarter of an inch in diameter ; thin the edges slightly, 

 and roll the broad part of each sepal on the wax side with 

 the head of a small modelling-pin, until sufficiently concave ; 

 pinch the extreme points between the thumb and finger, and, 

 piercing the centre with a point of the scissors, cut small slits 

 in the form of a star ; slip upon the wire, and, arranging so 

 that the sepals show between the petals, press closely around 

 the ovary by rolling with the stem of the pin, and give to the 

 sepals, which are mostly recurved, the curves exhibited in the 

 natural flower. 



To make the stem or peduncle, take a broad strip of light 

 green wax and roll loosely around the wire to the thickness 

 required, to give it transparency, being careful to unite the 

 stem thoroughly with the calyx, and to work the edge of the 

 wax (which is better torn than cut) invisibly into the stem by 

 means of the steel part of the pin. Now cover the calyx and 

 stem with honey, applied with a small camel-hair brush, and 

 dust on fine white "down" (see p. 302). 



In making a bud, the first thing to be done is to form a 

 foundation resembling, as nearly as possible, the shape of the 

 natural bud.^ The best and easiest way to do this is to cut off 

 about one-third of a sheet of white wax and fold it lengthwise 

 not quite in the centre, thus allowing one edge to extend a 

 little beyond the other. Fold again, bringing the doubled 

 edge not quite up to the second cut edge, and finally fold 

 again so that the strip shall be as shown by Figs. 5 and 5 a, 

 the figures showing the numbers of thicknesses. Roll sufficient 

 of this around a wire (turned over as usual), with the thickest 

 part upwards and the folds inside, to make the foundation of the 

 requisite size, and model with the thumb and finger, assisted by 

 the stem of a modelling-pin, into the form shown by Fig. 6. 

 Cut three or four petals only out of white fabric, rather smaller 



