52 
THE NATURALIST’S GUIDE. 
legs so far up, and at such an acute angle, and the joints 
of the forelegs down at such an angle, that the two will 
almost touch. This rule should always be follow^ed. 
The preceding method may be applied when mounting 
all animals below the size of a Newfoundland dog. Larger 
animals are mounted in the following manner : Fill out 
the space occupied by the muscles of the head and legs 
in the manner already described. Procure five iron rods, 
with a shoulder cut at each end, upon which fit a cap 
(Plate IX. Fig. 2, B) ; on the extreme end have a thread 
cut with a nut to fit (A), — the distance between the nut 
and cap should be about an inch and a half. Cut a piece 
of plank, an inch and a half thick, about two thirds as 
long and wide as the body of the mammal to be mounted ; 
bore five holes in it, as indicated in Fig. 1, A. Fasten 
one rod (8) firmly to the skull by drilling a hole through 
the top and placing the cap in the proper position. Screw 
the nut on well (14), and place the lower end of the rod in 
the hole in the plank prepared for it (11) ; fasten it firmly. 
Now stuff the neck out with hemp to the proper size. Drill 
a hole through the hoofs, or bottom of the feet, into the 
hollow of the bones (2, 4) ; force the rod (7, 7, 7, 7) up 
through this hole, through the stuffing of the legs, and 
fasten them into the plank (5, 6). Force a wire into the 
tail and clinch it firmly in the wood (15). By winding up 
grass or hemp, imitate the various sections of the body 
taken out, and place them in the proper positions (16), 
making allowance for the plank and rods. Or a better 
way is to take casts in plaster of the different parts and 
place them in the proper position. 
Everything must be solid, to avoid sinkings and depres- 
sions in the skin. In this way the student can mount 
an animal of any size by increasing the size of the rods and 
plank. The ends of the rods must be fastened into a 
plank stand (10) by passing them through holes drilled 
in it (17, 17, 17, 17). 
