po. thick and stiff and mix into it some chopped manila
fiber. For finishing one deer face and ear-butts about a quart and a
half of the compo. should be made. This should cover the face thinly,
fill the ear-butts, set the eyes, and fill nose and mouth details out.

In beginning the setting of the scalp into place, cover the lead ears
thinly with the compo. and slip them into the ear skins. The lead will
have to be partly folded together to accomplish this and spread again
when inside. If edges of ears have been torn open in skinning, sew them
up neatly from the outside, using a small round needle and small thread
before the lead is placed.

With the cartilages set, fill the ear butts with compo., squeezing it
out upon the lead a little way that it may brace the ears when set
finally.

Set the mannikin in the vise for convenience. Cover skull with a thin
layer of compo. where bone is exposed and slip the face skin into place.
Hold the scalp up now by tying a heavy cord under the jaw and behind the
horns. Draw the neck skin into place and tie it up with a piece of cord
about the neck near base. Now, for better convenience in sewing, remove
the head from the vise, set front of neck base on the floor and lean the
antlers against a chair seat, back of neck up. Draw corners of antler
cuts together back of the horns.

Begin at one horn and sew to joint of the Y cut. Sew from the other horn
and then continue down the neck to the base, using medium stitches and
drawing tight. This method of sewing a game head is the only exception,
in taxidermy, to sewing toward the head. For a raw scalp use a sail
needle and waxed ends. For a tanned scalp, a large fur needle and strong
linen.

With the sewing completed, turn to nailing the scalp to the back-board.
Turn the free edge of skin down over back of board and nail firmly with
short broad headed nails so that when the surplus is trimmed off a
turned over edge of skin two or three inches wide will remain, held
snugly by nails set two inches apart. Count upon finishing a raw head
all up at one go when using the plaster compo. This is the only compo.
which can be recommended to hold raw, haired skins down, as the material
must set before the skin begins to dry and pull.

Before turning to finishing the face, unscrew the holding piece from
back of neck-board and nail up the part of skin's edge that it covered.
Replace the piece and set head in vise facing you. Pinch and mold the
ear