ver the specimen with paper and a damp
cloth to prevent drying while a small batch of compo. No. II is prepared
for finishing feet and head. Returning to the specimen with this,
slightly moisten the wrapping on the bones of the feet and apply a bit
of the compo. at front and in the sole of each foot. This cements the
toes to the foot and fills the pads.

After this is done sew each foot up neatly, beginning at toes and
working toward body. If toes were large and required splitting and
removing of toe cords, replace the cords with bits of small rope or soft
twine and sew toes up neatly with short stitches. It is best to use a
round needle and black thread, well waxed for this work.

The specimen is now ready to place upon its base, perch, or stand. With
the approximate position shaped, mark the perch for wire holes by
holding specimen over it and indicating places where wires come, by
scratch or pencil mark. When holes are drilled and the specimen wired
into place, take a strong fur needle set into a handle and by working
and compressing with the fingers and jab-lifting with the needle,
finish shaping and positioning.

Hold in hollow of flanks by sewing through here with long needle and
strong cord, heavily knotted for the first hold. Finish this sewing with
a knot drawn down into the fur under the thumb. Arrange the fur over all
stitches by picking it free with tweezers.

With the body finished, take up filling and finishing the head with the
compo. First work compo. into the ears and pinch them out thin and into
their natural shape, then cover the entire face under the skin with
compo. Fill eye sockets and set eyes as second step. Lastly fill the
nose and lips and model them firmly upon the jaws. In all mammals cover
the teeth well with the lips. Even in a muskrat the teeth do not
ordinarily show at all. Also avoid getting the lips, nose, and whisker
base too full. Set the tail into easy normal position, pin toes to grasp
the perch or set well upon the ground and inspect the body to see that
no hollow or bumps remain in the filling where there should be perfect
smoothness. Remove such of these as persist with the handle-held fur
needle and then set the specimen in a well ventilated place to dry.

The principal point in preparing thin or stretchy small mammal skins
for mounting is to leave the membrane of skin-muscles on the body skin.
This holds a flabby skin in shape and lends strength to a frail one. In
spite of