242 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



the hollows. This makes a greyish rock with no gloss, and 

 is suitable for owls and similar birds. 



For rough sandstone rock, paint over with chrome yellow 

 and a very little blue mixed with oil white, the latter pre- 

 dominating ; dust over on the points with red sand, touch up the 

 hollows with Brunswick black, suffer to dry, and then go over 

 all with a very little rose pink or vermilion, worked up in 

 turps with a little varnish. Fit up with ferns, grasses, and 

 mosses. This is a reddish-yellow rock, suitable for anything 

 not having red or yellow fur or feathers. 



The predominating colour may be mixed with the whiting, 

 &c., to paint over the artificial rock; but there is a certain 

 loss of brilliancy in the colours which follow, unless a white 

 ground has been previously laid on. 



For certain objects a great advantage is obtained by making 

 up the rockwork on a false bottom and slipping it, ready 

 finished, into the case. 



There are hundreds of other varieties, but they must be 

 worked out by each person according to his proclivities. It 

 might as well be expected that a picture could be painted from 

 printed directions as to imagine that one person could make a 

 rockwork precisely similar to another without seeing it done, 

 or without working it out by his own experience. 



Trees for large groups may be carved out of successive layers 

 of peat, or modelled up with brown paper and virgin cork; 

 better still by arranging brown paper over rods or a wire 

 framework, covered previously by tow, and afterwards coloured 

 to nature. The leaves of some trees dry and colour up well, 

 and can be introduced on the natural or artificial twigs. 



Twigs. — Artificial twigs can be made by twisting tow round 

 wire, glueing, and throwing on sawdust, peat-dust, &c., and 

 afterwards colouring. The most natural way, however, is to 

 rub up the gold and grey lichens, and throw them on the 

 glued tow, filling up afterwards with larger pieces to break 

 the lines. Natural and artificial twigs mix well together; the 

 latter, from their flexibility, allowing of any treatment. 



Ferns, Grasses, etc., tor " Fitting- up." — Time was when 

 our ancestors were content to stick their preserved specimens 



