140 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



system. An amateur, however, wIlo can skin and stuff fairly 

 may try this, and I am positive tliat lie 'will succeed, and never 

 again return to tlie " good old style " of loose stuffing. 



In cases where the animal (especially if small) is merely to be 

 lying down, three wires will sometimes he found sufficient, 

 namely, one long and strong body wire (with no loops) and two 

 wires for the legs, one of which will be run in at the right fore 

 leg and cross the body, and be pushed down the left hind leg and 

 come out at the sole of the foot, the other wire then crosses it 

 reversely. The body wire (having no loops) can be pushed in at 

 the head through a hole previously made with a bradawl. Ears 

 may be filled in with brown paper, cut to shape, instead of putty. 

 Pieces of wood, peat, or clips of tin may be cut to the form of 

 the ears, and used to block them to shape, from the outside. 



A third system is for the smaller horned heads, such as deer, 

 goats, &c., which are begun somewhat differently, but are 

 afterwards treated in a similar manner. The usual way in 

 which horned heads are skinned is to cut them under the throat 

 right up to the jaw, turning the skin back, and then to skin 

 upward to the horns. This, though perpetrated by people 

 who ought to know better, is based on entirely false principles, 

 for a head when finished being hung usually at some height, 

 you have constantly before your eyes the hideous spectacle 

 of a chain of stitches (which no art can successfully hide) 

 running up the throat and under the chin. 



The buck's or goat's head, being, perhaps, the most easily 

 obtained, I will take one as an example. Make an incision 

 exactly on the top of the head, running from the back of the 

 neck to just behind the horns; then make two cross cuts 

 up to their seats or " bui-rs," and, pushing your knife down 

 at the side of the nearest horn, cut the skin entirely away, 

 keeping as close to the horn as possible — in fact, shaving its 

 edge. When you arrive just above the eye, while doing this, 

 you will find the ear hold back the skin considerably. Skin 

 it as much as possible on the top, and, putting your finger 

 underneath, cut it out as usual. Now you can work all round 

 the horn to join the cut at the back. Do the same with the 

 other horn and side, skinning away round the neck to the 

 under jaw and sides of the face until you find the skin of 



