Xo. 493] 



MOUNTING FOSSIL SKELETONS 



47 



steel rods screwed to tripods of different sizes for up- 

 rights with a horizontal bar fastened by means of clamps, 

 which allow it to be moved up and down. This is a simple 

 apparatus and is very useful for suspending skeletons of 

 not too large dimensions. 



To dispense with most of the plumbers' fittings in 

 mounting skeletons we have introduced during the past 

 few years a mode of splitting steel at the end, to act as 

 braces and in other ways, opened and flattened and 

 screwed to the uprights and other supports. This per- 



haps takes a little more time than to use so-called plumb- 

 ers' fittings, but it appears as an entirely different style 

 of mounting. 



Wherever electric power is available labor-saving ma- 

 chines can be installed, such as drilling machines for 

 heavy work, rotary saws for splitting and cutting steel 

 and brass, small turning lathe attachment for corborun- 

 dum wheels, and rotary diamond saws for large section 

 cutting. All these appliances just mentioned we have 

 attached to one large lathe run by a one-horse power 

 motor, although a little stronger motor may be recom- 

 mended. A small gas blast furnace with a one third or 

 one half horse power motor for the blower makes a suffi- 

 ciently strong forge to heat a two-inch steel bar and we 

 find this in our laboratory indispensable. 



During later years we have introduced numerous other 

 convenient tools, but it would take too long to mention 

 them all here. 



