he length.

Clean the eyes and teeth with a brush when dry, and beat the fur to make
it stand out. Fasten securely on whatever form of mounting you have
decided on, countersinking the wires on the under side. Accessories, as
a piece of food in the mouth or paws, are added now if they have been
prepared for.

[Illustration: CAT SITTING AND WATCHING]

A slip with record of the specimen written on it and pasted to the under
side of stand will usually be appreciated. If the mouth is wanted open
it should be braced in that position, the lips, etc., held in place by
clay. When it is dry this can be dug out with awls and modelling tools
and the tongue, gums, and inside the mouth modelled in mache or some
plaster composition. The tongue may be modelled in connection with the
lower part of the mouth or made separately and fastened in place with a
brad and some glue.

Colored wax, pink for the inside and black for the lips, applied hot
with a little brush in several coats finish the open mouth. A little
black wax will join the eyelids to the glass eyes if they have shrunk
away and the inside of the nostrils should be coated with a little pink.
Bare skin on the end of the nose should be varnished.

CHAPTER XV.

MOUNTING LARGE ANIMALS ENTIRE.

Though at one time nearly all animals were mounted by the soft body or
stuffing method as described in the previous chapter, very few of the
larger ones are so treated now. An adequate frame is built in a body of
the proper size and proportions, the surface of which reproduces those
muscles lying next the skin. The skin, well pared down and poisoned, is
sewed, pinned and glued to this surface.

In the small specimen clay was used next the skin in places to perfect
the modelling, but such amounts would be required for a large animal as
to affect the durability of the skin. Clay and plaster being in a dry
state very absorbent, will eventually rob of all oily matter any skin in
contact with them. Such skins will crack, split and finally disintegrate
as thoroughly as those having an excess of fat adhering to them.

To prevent this a layer of some glue composition or paper is used just
beneath the skin. As an example in this mode of mounting a black bear
would answer nicely. If the leg bones are attached to the skin they may
be unjointed at the toes and laid aside while the skin is well shaved
down on its entire inner surface. A thoroughly flexible skin is entirely
at the comman