416 



R EC RE A TION. 



for the neck board, fasten it by driving nails 

 down through the top of the skull. 



The size of the head determines the length 

 of the neck and size of the base boards. 



In the small head shown in cut No. 3, the 

 neck board is 12 inches long and the base 

 board 10 x y J /i inches, while the large head 

 has a neck board 14 inches long and a base 

 board 12 x 9 inches. The neck board is 

 measured from the base of the horns to the 

 top of the base board. The base board is 

 egg shaped, with the small end at the bot- 

 tom. 



After deciding on the proper length for 

 the neck board, which, if the neck skin is 

 all there, is really a matter of taste, decide 

 on the angle at which the skull should be 

 fixed. Then nail on the base board, and put 

 a block on each side to make the frame 

 rigid, (cut No. 1). Then put the jaw in 

 place, wire it securely at the nose, block it 

 up at the back, and nail it securely to the 

 neck board. 



At this stage of the work you must de- 

 cide exactly the position the head should 

 have when completed, as it will be impos T 

 sible to change it later. Some taxidermists 

 make the neck board in 2 pieces which lap 

 over each other and are fastened together 

 with a bolt, which allows of an adjustment 

 or change of the angle of the skull. While 

 this arrangement is well enough to experi- 

 ment with, the writer prefers a solid frame. 



The skull, neck, and base boards should 

 be fastened solidly, so as to avoid any pos- 

 sibility of getting loose. All the cavities of 

 the skull should be thoroughly poisoned, 



2. THE NECK PARTLY FORMED. 



The best results will be obtained by drop- 

 ping the end of the jaw about one inch be- 

 low a horizontal line drawn forward from 

 the angle, or corner, of the jaw. 



3. COMPLETE FORM READY FOR THE SKIN„ 



and filled with excelsior or coarse tow.. 

 Now build up the neck by putting on small 

 quantities of excelsior (or coarse tow if you? 

 have not the former) and winding it down 

 on the neck with soft cotton twine. Do 

 not use too much material at once; but build 

 the neck up gradually, making your work 

 firm and smooth with plenty of twine, until 

 you get the neck within an inch of the re- 

 quired size (cut No. 2). Then take some 

 clean clay — that is, clay free from gravel or 

 loam— work it up by beating it with a ham- 

 mer or iron bar, and mix water with it until 

 it forms a rather stiff paste. It is a good 

 plan to mix with it a little clean tow, chopped 

 fine. It should be just soft enough so it 

 can be easily spread with the hand, and made 

 smooth. 



Try the skin on the head and neck to see 

 if it will fit properly, when finally adjusted. 

 Remember it is not necessary that the 

 neck should be large enough to completely 

 fill the stretched skin, but it should be just 

 large enough to give the right size and 

 shape when the skin is smoothed down 

 on it. If you have no clay, and are quite 

 certain the neck is just right as to size and. 

 shape, you can use about 2 quarts of plaster 

 of paris — as I did in the preparation of the 

 heads shown herewith — smearing it on with 



