SKINNING AND PHESEEVING MAMMALS. 135 



liolding tlie head in tlie left hand, calculate so that the wire may 

 come through the skin at about the centre of the head, about 

 liin. from, and above each eye. 



Bear in mind that the skull being somewhat thick, it is 

 the more necessary for your wire to have cutting edges, as 

 before explained. Having pushed the wire through three or 

 four inches, cut off the point with your large pliers (Fig. 16, 

 page 58) to prevent injuring yourself, turning down the re- 

 mainder to prevent the wire pulling through again. Push 

 the other end of the wire right up the brush, to do which 

 you must bend it back on itself about halfway up, straighten- 

 ing up as you proceed. Next take four wires, somewhat longer 

 than the legs, and pointed at each end. Push one of these 

 right up the foot in at the pad, along the back of the leg, 

 and up into the body, pushing it through its proper loop on 

 the body wire, and twisting it round and round the same 

 with your pliers until it is firmly attached. Fill the cut pad 

 with chopped tow, and nicely sew it up to its normal shape. 

 Do the same with the three remaining limbs. You should be 

 able now to lift the fox by any one of the leg wires, and find 

 it support the remainder. 



Having by this time determined the shape which the fox 

 shall assume — that is to say, if standing, running, or springing 

 on its prey — commence by gradually filling up the neck with 

 suitable pieces of tow, bending the head and neck as you 

 wish ; m point of fact, shaping as you go on. Next work down 

 the chest, and then fill up the skin of the limbs with smaller 

 pieces of tow, endeavouring to keep to the characteristic shapes 

 of the thin and thick parts (various stuffing irons of different 

 degrees of thickness will have to be used during the process). 

 Having filled up the fore limbs, bend them to their required 

 position and go to the hind, disregarding the body for the 

 present. 



The hind limbs have more character in them than the fore, 

 ;and are, in consequence, harder to model ; be the more careful, 

 therefore, to pay particular attention to the proper develop - 

 -ment of these limbs, bending them into shape during work, 

 and keeping the thighs nice and thin, and distinct from the 

 body. All the limbs being shaped, model up the various parts 



e:2 



