288 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



"wliicli sliould also he lined witli velvet, to further exclude the 

 dust. Drawer and frame sliould be made so true that the latter 

 should fit back to front, if required, equally with its normal 

 position. The carcase, or part into which the drawers fit, either 

 by mnners or in grooves by tongues attached to the drawers, 

 should be made so truly that JSTo. 1 drawer should fit in the place 

 of ISTos. 15 or 30, and vice versa, and all should " suck " back 

 when pulled out half way. The drawers should be locked by 

 " pilasters," or have glazed and framed doors. There are but 

 few makers of such cabinets as I have just described, and prices 

 are proportionately high, a sovereign a drawer being about the 

 figure. Fair cabinets in mahogany or walnut, quite good 

 enough for ordinary purposes, can be made, however, for half 

 this sum, and deal ones a little less. The corking of these best 

 cabinets is generally done before the bottoms are fixed, as thus 

 an open surface is obtained for rubbing down, by leaving out 

 the bottom until corked. White or black velvet, instead of 

 paper, is often used to cover the cork. Some little skill is requi- 

 site to do this without soiling the delicate material; the best 

 way is, perhaps, to glue the cork on cardboard, cut to the size 

 of the drawer, less the thickness of the velvet all round ; on this 

 glue the cork, rub it down as before directed, and strain the 

 velvet over it, bringing its edges underneath the cardboard ; glue 

 the bottom of the cabinet drawer, and drop the prepared velvet- 

 covered cork and cardboard into it, place clean paper over the 

 velvet, and weight it down for a day or two. This plan ensures 

 the cleanliness of your covering medium — a highly necessary 

 precaution if using white velvet. 



There are many other ways of fitting glass to drawers than 

 that recommended. For instance, a hinged frame may be used, 

 dropping in a " rabbet," ploughed around the front, back, and 

 sides of the drawers ; or the top frame may have a tongue fitting 

 inside the whole substance of the drawer, or the glass may 

 be a fixture, beaded or puttied in on top, the whole of the 

 bottom unscrewing from the drawer frame. This latter is very 

 well for a collection when fully made up and complete, but if 

 required for an incomplete collection, the risk and annoyance of 

 unscrewing and screwing up, to constantly remove or insert a 

 specimen, are great. 



