MODELLING OF ANIMALS, ETC. 161 



determine "upon the shape and size of the neck, and to fix the 

 neck block (see Fig. 27) to the "quartering" by screws. Try 

 the skin of the neck for length and shape, and then fill up each 

 side of the block with peat nailed on, over which pour wet 

 plaster, making up the back of the head as you. go on, keeping 

 the neck in front narrow, and of an elegant shape, using clay 

 afterwards over all to do this. During all this time you will no 

 doubt have had the skin off and on several times to get the 

 shape to suit, and you will have taken precautions not to break 

 away the thinly carved parts around the mouth, nose and eyes. 

 The very last operation is sewdng up ; this is done with a " skin" 

 needle (glover's needle) and strong hemp, double and waxed; 

 commence your stitches at the skin in front of one of the 

 horns, bring it around to the back, and enter your needle 

 in the edge of the skin at the side, lace across and across, 

 including the other horn, in the manner most convenient, 

 being careful, however, to make every stitch " tell," other- 

 wise, as the skin dries, the horns will be left bare around 

 the " burrs," and ugly gaps appear. The neck being sewn up, is 

 to be nailed around its circumference to the neckblock by strong 

 tacks. The skin of the face is, perhaps, a little out of posi- 

 tion; it must be properly arranged on the model, and wire 

 points of suitable size, filed up from galvanized wire, must be 

 driven into the eye-pits, inside the corners of the mouth, the 

 nostrils and ears, and also on various parts of the face and the 

 head, to prevent the skin rising whilst drying. The eyes should 

 now be inserted, and the skin of the eyelids filled slightly, and 

 drawTi naturally around them. Hang the head up as high as 

 possible out of the way, and also because the room is always 

 warmest near the ceiling ; two centre-bit holes of different sizes, 

 f onning a kind of keyhole, may be drilled in the centre of the 

 neck-block, or strong wire bolted in the form of a loop near 

 the top to hang it up by. Be sure all is sound and firm, as 

 also the nail on which the specimen hangs, otherwise your 

 own, or your stag's, head may come to grief. Plaster heads being 

 very heavy at first, before drying, it is as well to get them dried, 

 if possible, in advance of the mounting, to obviate great weight, 

 and also a tendency to cause mildew inside the skin. It is 

 really astounding, however, to observe how very light plaster 



