Home Taxidermy for Pleasure and Profit Part 10

The guanaco pelt being of a woolly nature makes it unnecessary to run it all the same way and the entire skins are utilized in spite of their ungainly shape, the flaps and tabs trimmed off filling the indentations around the outer edge of the robe. They make an excellent camp blanket as light and warm as the malodorous, hairy rabbit skin robe of Hudsons Bay, and no Patagonian ranch house bed is complete without its guanaco coverlet.

You will likely be called on to repair robes much oftener than to make them and such work is nearly all profit, as it generally consists in sewing up rips and tears in the skins. Never attempt to do this from the front or fur side as it can only be done right from the back. To do this at least one side of the lining will have to be ripped and the robe turned, turning it back and resewing it on completion. Linings are turned under at the edges all around.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PATAGONIAN ROBE OF GUANACO SKINS.]

Worn and soiled linings and tr.i.m.m.i.n.g often need replacing with new material and it is sometimes necessary to purchase an unlined goat "plate" to repair robes of that common variety. Worn robes can be cut down in size if no similar material is to be had for repairs.

CHAPTER XIV.

MOUNTING ENTIRE SMALL FUR ANIMALS.

In Chapters VI and VIII directions are given for skinning and preparing this cla.s.s of animals for mounting, so with the skin properly cleaned and poisoned before us the next thing is to cut the wires for a supporting frame. These are six in number usually, body wire, tail wire and one for each leg. The body wire is about one-half longer than from nose to base of tail; tail wire the length of the tail bone and half the body, and each leg wire twice the length of the leg.

I have spoken of using a muskrat for an initial attempt as it is of a convenient size to handle and the length of its fur will hide small defects in the anatomy. Most books of instruction select a squirrel for the beginner's victim. It is true it is not as difficult as a hairless Mexican terrier but it is apt to discourage the learner. An opossum will do very well or any long haired animal of about that size.

We will first reconstruct a hind leg and if it is a fresh specimen being mounted without a bath in the pickle we can have the opposite leg in the flesh to guide, as to proper proportions. The wire is pa.s.sed through the cut in the bottom of the foot and along the back of the leg bones where it is secured in about three places by tying with small cord. The end is left projecting three inches beyond the end of the upper leg bone.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HIND AND FRONT LEG OF MUSKRAT WRAPPED READY TO CLAY AND RETURN TO SKIN.]

The muscles and flesh are replaced by winding on tow with stout thread until the approximate size is reached, when the surface is given a thin coating of clay and the leg is drawn back into its skin. The fore legs are in the same manner built to the joint with the shoulder blade.

After sharpening the tail wire to a point it is wound with fine tow and thread and coated with clay until it duplicates the bone and flesh removed. This is slipped into the tail sheath with the unwound end projecting into the body and the slit along the lower side of tail sewed up.

After making a ring about the diameter of a .22 sh.e.l.l on one end of the body wire place it on your sketch where the hip joint was marked, letting the wire run lengthwise of the body. Another ring similar is made at the shoulder. These form the points of attachment for the legs.

[Ill.u.s.tration: WIRING FOR SMALL ANIMALS, FRONT LEG WIRES TWISTED TO BACK WIRE.]

The skull, cleaned of flesh and poisoned, should have the muscles replaced with tow and the whole coated with clay. Force a piece of cork into the opening at the back of the skull. Sharpen the end of body wire and force it through the cork and out one of the nostrils. The skull is pushed back along the wire until it reaches the proper distance from the shoulder ring, when all but an inch or so of the projecting wire is cut off.

Insert the skull through the body opening and work it up the neck into its place in the head skin, letting the end of wire go through the nostril of skin also. This will hold the nose in place. Adjust the eyes and ears also.

Now pa.s.s the ends of leg wire through the rings from their opposite sides. The tail wire is pa.s.sed through the rear ring and twisted around the body wire a few times. The ends of leg wires projecting through the ring cross, so twist them together a turn or two with pliers, next bring them down and under the body wire, twisting them together, first one side of it and then the other. This treatment will fasten the legs and tail also firmly to the body wire.

Thus we have the skin with head, tail and legs filled out and the supporting wires fastened together. The remainder of filling, usually chopped tow, is placed with fingers, forceps, and stuffers. First a good layer next the skin all around, then part this and fill in the center a little at a time, first at one end, then the other. Put a good cushion at the hips and shoulders between the wires and the skin and also at the back. Fill out the neck well but do not stretch it unduly.

Begin sewing up at both ends of the opening cut, drawing a few st.i.tches up and tying the thread while you fill a little more. Model the animal into shape from time to time by pressure with your hands and when filled out and sewed up tie the threads together.

Our animal is now lying on its back with head, tail and limbs extended; bend them into some natural position and set it on its feet. It may be well to force a little chopped tow and clay into the bottoms of the feet and draw the cuts in them together with a few st.i.tches around the leg wire projecting from them.

A temporary stand of a piece of board supported on cleats at each end is prepared and a number of holes bored for the leg wires. A little experimenting will find the proper place for these when the surplus ends of wire are bent along the bottom of the board and fastened with staples. Complete the head and face modeling now, filling out the cheeks and lips and pinning them in place. Work the skin around the eyes and ears into proper place and fasten with pins.

Fill eye sockets with sufficient clay and set the eyes, drawing the lids down where they belong.

Any deficiencies at the back of the head can be filled through the ears.

In the case of a muskrat the ears are so insignificant that they only need a little clay and tow forced into them to hold them in place. More prominent ears as those of fox, 'c.o.o.n, or wild cat must be filled with a pasteboard form, cut the proper size and shape, coated with liquid glue and inserted from the inside before returning the skull to the skin. The ears of all animals should be pocketed when skinned, that is turned inside out to their tips to admit preservatives and later some filling material which will retain their shape when dry.

Do not skin out and throw away the ear cartilage but leave it adhering to the skin of the inner side of the ear. Without it this skin is very frail and brittle and thorough pickling will prevent shrinkage and distortion of the ear.

Before leaving the head push it slightly towards the body on the wire and cut same close to end of nose. Pull head back to place, the wire disappears up the nose about 1/4 inch, then you can shape the nostrils and fill so they will not shrivel up in drying and look as though their owner had been a mouth breather.

[Ill.u.s.tration: OPOSSUM MOUNTED IN WALKING POSITION.]

If the general pose and appearance seem correct finish up by placing the feet and toes correctly. Nothing gives a mounted animal a more trampish, disreputable appearance than slouchy, run over feet with toes that don't seem to be on the job. Lastly comb the fur out and fluff it up before setting away to dry.

Animals up to the coyote in size are usually mounted by similar methods to the preceding. Sometimes a piece of board is subst.i.tuted for the body wire, especially in the larger specimens, the wires to which are too heavy to clinch readily. The skull is on a separate neck wire and all wires are fastened to the back board by pa.s.sing through holes and then stapling.

Of course it is possible to mount small specimens by the same methods most large ones are, by drawing the skin over a hard filling, in fact a statuette, which must be made to fit the skin. This method in the case of small animals requires so much time that it is impossible in ordinary commercial work.

Strive to put your mounted animals in easy natural poses unless you are making a grotesque, in which case go the 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.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 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 gla.s.s 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 command of the taxidermist, one stiff or hard cannot be placed or kept in place at will.

After beaming, splitting the lips and nose cartilage, pocketing the ears and sewing up cuts and tears, the skin is dropped in the pickle. An outline sketch is made with chalk on the shop floor and on this the bones of the legs are arranged. A stiff wire bent along the back of each set of leg bones will guide us in bending the iron rods used as supports. These should be from 5/16 to 1/2 inch in diameter, threaded and fitted with two nuts at the lower end and eighteen inches or so longer than the leg bones themselves.

Of this extra length, enough is allowed below the feet to fasten to the pedestal, the balance is bent in a right angle from the end of the upper leg bone. At the distance of the hip joint from the central line of the body it is bent again parallel with the back board; for a hind leg. The front leg rods are bent in the same way at the joining of the shoulder blade with the humerus or upper bone of the front leg. You will readily see the desirability of preserving at least one set each of the hind and front leg bones. In such case the missing bones can be roughly blocked out of wood to the proper dimensions, while if none are saved you will have to do the same depending on the skin for measurements.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FRAME FOR BEAR MANIKIN.]

The end of the rods lying along the back should be bent again in a V shape to prevent their turning when fastened to it. The location of the hip and shoulder joints are marked on one side of the back board, the rods for that side laid in place and fastened by drilling holes each side of them and pa.s.sing loops of stout wire through and twisting them tightly on the other side with heavy pliers. The rods for the other side are fastened in the same manner, in fact they may be fastened with the same wires, but it will be stronger if the fastenings are separate. The leg bones are bound fast to the rods with wire or twine.

Holding the back board in the vise by the middle the leg rods with bone attached are adjusted to the position of the finished specimen. The threaded ends which project below the feet are bent straight down.

A rough pedestal of boards on 24 cleats at each end, is made, the frame placed on it and marking where the rods will enter, bore suitable holes to receive them. One nut is turned up each rod a short distance and after inserting in the holes in the pedestal the others are screwed up tightly from below.