put in when the head is placed in the skin. If tail skin was opened full
length, the artificial tail may be placed after all the legs are
adjusted. Run tail-wire base forward through its pelvis-wire loop and
twist it around body-wire. (For general assembling of specimen see Fig.
19.)

[Illustration: Fig. 19.]

Before filling the body, sew up the tail, using short stitches and a
round needle, if it is possible to push it through skin easily. Begin
sewing at tip and work toward body. Finish all sewing with a simple knot
drawn tight under tip of finger.

Next, with a stuffing rod of appropriate size, place the neck filling,
stuffing against palm of left hand hollowed outside the skin at point of
filling so that the forming may be felt accurately.

Then comes the filling for shoulder blades over forelegs and with it the
chest filling. In handling the excelsior, pull out wisps of it from the
mass and rub them between the palms so that the fiber is broken up and
softened. Fine excelsior ("wood wool") is the material par excellence
for stuffing the bodies of small mammals from size of small chipmunks
up. Mice require a softer material, and short chopped, fine tow answers
requirements in them. The leg bones of mice may be wrapped with long
fiber cotton batting or fine tow.

When the shoulders and chest have been filled firm full, but not to the
point of looking stuffed, turn to the hind legs and pelvis. Fill in the
back thigh muscles neatly; then cover top of wire pelvis, pushing
material well down to base of tail. Fill rump sufficiently to overcome
a pinched or too high set look. The position must be considered in
properly filling the back, sides, and abdomen. If a bunched up position
is to be worked out, bend the wire back bone into semipose and place the
legs in approximately their final position. After this, fill the body to
suit the position, always forming with the stuffing rod working against
the left hand. See that all filling is firm but not packed in to the
point of distorting the skin. Consult sketches and aim to preserve the
little animal's natural form. (For general filling details see Fig. 20)

[Illustration: Fig. 20.]

When the filling is all placed, sew the abdominal incision neatly up,
beginning at rear end always and going forward. Wax the thread. In a
hunched together position, middling long stitches may be used. In a
straighter pose shorter stitches should be used.

Now, when the body is sewn up co