Home Taxidermy for Pleasure and Profit | Page 9

and rasp work
the edges off both Nos. 1 and 2. No. 1 on a bevel, No. 2 rounded. There
should be a number of holes drilled and countersunk in No. 2, from the
back, and when the two parts of the shield are properly adjusted they
should be drawn closely together with screws too short to penetrate the
face of the shield.
If the adjustment is perfect the screws are to be drawn and the surfaces
which come in contact coated well with glue, then drawn closely
together and laid aside until thoroughly dry, when it should be well
sandpapered before varnishing.
All shields and panels should be carefully sandpapered, filled and
varnished, and polished if you wish. Don't make the shield or panel so
ornate that the specimen will seem but an incidental, thrown in for

good measure, so to speak.
Rustic panels can be made by sawing the end from a log on a slant, and
planing smooth the oval. If this is heavily varnished on the front and
back and the bark left on it is a very suitable mount for small heads,
fish and birds. Artificial branches and trees for mounting birds should
be avoided if possible; they are made by wrapping tow around wires,
coating with glue and covering with moss or papier mache and painting.
The result I consider unnatural and inartistic.
[Illustration: SMALL BIRD.]
I would advise to use natural branches as far as possible; sufficient
labor will be required to make necessary joining and changes look as
near like nature as you can. Rock work is usually made of a wooden
framework covered with cloth, wire or paper and finished with a
coating of glue and crushed stone or sand. One of the most useful
materials in this work is the rough cork bark so much used by florists.
It is light, comes in desirable shapes, can be nailed, sawed or coated
with glue or paint. For constructing stumps for mounted birds of prey
and rustic stands for small and medium fur animals it has no equal.
Some taxidermists produce rock work of an obscure geological period
by covering screen wire forms with a mixture of flour, baking powder
and plaster of paris and water. This is put in an oven and baked hard,
the weird result being painted to the artist's taste.
Water worn roots such as are found along the shore, twisted laurel
branches, limbs of gum, oak and sassafras, all work up well in this and
should be stored up to dry against a day of need. Out door people have
a good eye for such things, but they are hard to find when you look for
them, so gather them on your rambles. Papier mache is also a good
modeling material for stumps, limbs and rock, being light, and readily
taking coats of glue or paint. The expert can copy nature closely with it.
Some leaves and grasses can be pressed, dried and colored their natural
shades with oil paints. The dealers supply a great variety of artificial
foliage, some of which may be used to advantage, in case work
especially. Dried mosses and lichens of various sorts may be used in

this. Some of these powdered and glued on papier mache or cork bark
stumps and limbs produce a very pleasing effect.
Snow scenes are frequently attempted but are not always a success. The
peculiar fluffy and glittering appearance is rather difficult to reproduce.
Torn or ground up white blotting paper mixed with a little ground mica
has been used for this purpose. Glass icicles are listed by dealers and
are quite natural in appearance, but the simulation of water is difficult
and often disappointing.
It is often desirable to mount small specimens, of birds especially, in
cases of some kind which will protect them from dust, dirt and rough
handling and at the same time display them to advantage. The oldest
and at the same time the least suitable contrivance for this is the well
known bell glass or globe. It is difficult to find a safe place for this in
the average house and it is not at all adapted to many specimens.
A plain wall case with glass front and a painted or decorated
background will give the necessary protection with the least expense.
For small bird groups, and singles and pairs of game birds, the oval
convex glasses probably present the finest appearance. The
backgrounds for these may be either plush or wood panels or hand
painted, and any style of picture framing may be used. These are made
in several sizes, listing at $2.00 to $8.00 each without backgrounds or
frames. This cost has probably prevented their more common use.
There is on the market a papier mache background also adapted to any