Section I.: Small Mammals.—Skin as directed, but the skull should not, as a rule, be detached unless the animal be large enough to have the lips split. The eye cavities should also be filled with clay. Cut a piece of wire of the suitable size to support the head; have it about twice as long as the head and body of the specimen in hand. Wind up a turn or two with the pliers small enough to enter the cavity in the base of the skull, which will have to be enlarged to admit of the ready removal of the brains. Place the wound portion of the wire in this cavity, and fill in around it with either plaster of paris, or tamp in excelsior, tow, or cotton firmly enough to hold the skull perfectly firm on the wire. Wind up a body of excelsior or grass, as nearly the form and size of the one removed as possible, taking care that the neck be of proper shape, and that the surface be very smooth.

This surface may be covered with a thin layer of clay or of papier-machÉ, if a very nice smooth surface is required, in case of short-haired mammals. Cut four wires for the legs and one for the tail. Run the wire up the front legs, and tie them firmly to the bone with fine wire, especially at the joints. Now wind each leg with cotton, hemp, or tow to the size and form of the muscles removed. In order to get the legs very exact, one may be wound before the muscles of the other be removed, and measurements may thus be taken. The legs may be also covered with papier-machÉ or a thin layer of clay in short-haired mammals. Now place the body in position, taking care that the wire of the head goes the entire length of the body, and is firmly clinched.

The wires of the front legs should enter the body at the proper point on the shoulder. The wires of the hind legs should also enter the body at the point near the back, where they join the natural body. Run a wire the entire length of the tail and fasten in the lower end of the body. See that all wires are firmly clinched, and sew up the orifice. Bend the legs into as natural a position as possible, and insert the wires protruding from the soles of the feet into the holes in the stand or perch; bend the body in position, insert the eyes, arranging the lids carefully over them, taking care the eye has the proper form in the corners.

Arrange the eyelids and ears by occasionally moulding them into form as they dry. Smooth the tail carefully and attend to all the little details, such as spreading the toes etc., etc., and carefully watch them from day to day, until the animal becomes perfectly dry.

Section II.: Large Mammals.—In drawing the lines between mammals mounted as described above and the present method, it may be well to remark that the one now given is the best in all cases, but requires rather too much time to be used with very small specimens. Have five large wires or bolts of a suitable size to support the mammal mounted, cut to the proper length, and cut a screw on either end for about two inches (Fig. 17, a). Screw a broad flat nut on (Fig. 17, b), then have another nut ready to screw on above the first. Prepare a strip of board a little shorter than the natural body of the mammal, and in this bore four holes, two at each end, with one extra between the two, but a little back of them on the front end. After bending the bolts so as to form the legs, place the ends in the holes and screw on the nuts, place the lower ends of the irons in the holes in the stand and screw on the nuts, thus the beginning of the structure will stand firm. Fasten the end of the fifth iron firmly in the brain cavity by filling in with plaster, or wedging in pieces of wood, and screw the lower end in place. Now wind excelsior on the legs to the proper size and form; cover it with a thin layer of cotton. Then place on the body in sections of excelsior of exactly the form and size of life, and cover with clay. The neck is now to be formed in the same way; of course to get all the parts accurate, one must have the natural body, which has been removed, at hand, or should have the correct measurement of it. The skin, from which the leg bones have been removed quite to the toe-nails, may be fitted on occasionally to judge the effect. Procure sheet lead, and, if too thick, beat it out; cut it in the form of the cartilage removed from the ear. Fasten wire into these pieces of lead with the ends protruding downward; bore holes in the skull into which the ends are introduced, thus forming the support, and keeping the ears in proper position. Supply the muscles of the skull with excelsior and clay or papier-machÉ, then adjust the skin firmly and sew up. Fill the lips and nose with papier-machÉ or clay, and mould into shape. The above instructions, if followed, will give a mounted specimen, but I cannot convey the ideas which must teach the student the exact poise, the swell of the muscle, the exact shape of the eye which will give life and beauty to the subject in hand; all these must come from patience, study, and long practice, for skilful taxidermists do not spring at once into existence, but require experience and careful education.

Section III.: Mounting Dried Skins of Mammals.—Skins of mammals must be soaked in a strong solution of alum water, and when perfectly soft see that the parts above the lips, eyes, etc., are peeled down quite thin, and that every portion of the skin is perfectly pliable, then it should be moistened as described.

Section IV.: Mounting Mammals Without any Bones.—If the skull of a mammal be desired for a skeleton, a cast may be taken of the entire head before the flesh is removed, by placing the head in a box which will contain it and leave a space around it; pour in plaster of paris to the consistency of cream, until the head is about half covered—which should be placed on the bottom of the box, lower jaw down—let the plaster set; now cover the top surface of the plaster with paint, or oil, or paste paper over it. Then fill up the box with fresh plaster: after this has set well remove the side of the box and open the mould where the joint was made with the paint or paper. Take out the head, and then cut a hole in the mould at the base of the skull, in which the plaster for the head may be poured. Paint or oil the inside of the mould everywhere, fit the pieces together, then tie firmly and pour in the plaster for the mould; then insert the bolt for the head in the hole, and let the plaster set around it. Remove the mould by chipping off pieces with a chisel until the paint surface is exposed. If the head be large and heavy, a large ball of excelsior, in which the bolt is firmly fastened, may be placed in the centre, but this must be covered with a thin layer of clay to make it impervious to plaster. The lips and other naked spaces must be painted the color of life, with paint mixed with varnish, first filling out the imperfections with paraffine wax. Casts may be taken of the larger in wax, making a mould in plaster.