384 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



and paste it on one side ; lay the pasted side upon the stone, 

 getting out all unnatural creases and wrinkles, at the same 

 time well moulding the paper into every depression and 

 cranny of the stone, and so go all over it except underneath ; 

 follow this by other layers until the paper is thick enough — 

 probably six will be sufficient, and there is no need to put more 

 on than will prevent the model collapsing when dry, for 

 not only does excess of paper increase the weight, but it 

 takes out much of the detail, which in this case lies underneath, 

 and can only be exhibited through a thin superposition of 

 paper. When dry, the stone is easily removable, sometimes a 

 little better before complete dryness, and, as there is nothing to 

 spoil or crack by this method, the stone and its paper envelope 

 may go in front of the fire or in the oven to help the drying. 

 If the whole of the stone, perhaps a very rounded one, is 

 required to be modelled, it can be covered entirely, but in 

 this case the only way to get the stone out when the model 

 is finished is to cut the paper around, and make up the cut 

 edges with pasted paper. By this means very large rocks can 

 be modelled over, and will come out excellently in shape, even 

 if a trifle faulty in small details. 



The other and more scientific method exactly conforms to 

 nature, and is managed by taking moulds of rocks in plaster of 

 Paris. It will be almost needless to observe, that there are 

 hardly any rocks save very flat or slightly curved ones which 

 can be cast in one piece ; nearly all require piece-casting (as 

 detailed for other objects in previous pages), but many will not 

 need more than two or three pieces to get their curves and 

 depressions correctly. When the mould is dried and oiled 

 and the parts tied together, paste the paper inside the mould 

 in the manner described for the direct paper process for 

 large fishes, etc., and although there is no need to add 

 weight by piling layer upon layer, yet a little more thickness 



