Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-11-01
A raxldermist,s Work.


alt is an immensely Instructive and
fascinating occupation said the taxi
dermiSt, in reference to the reporters
inquiry; "but it requires yemsoE care
full study to master it,
"Iow dc You obtain your skins?n
1--WE get hem from collectors in ali
parts of the world"
How do the collectors preserve the
skins in such good condiuonpn asked
the reporter.
THE animal, if killed far from camp.
must bo skinned on the.spot. The first
step is 70 take important measure
meu.s, then the animal is turned over
on its back and the SHINING process is
commenced. An inciSion is made be-
ginning at the tip of the lower jaw and
running down TO the base, aud in some
Instances to the extreme end of tho
tail. The skin is then parted right
and LETT with the assistance of the knife
and skinned dowhto the hind legs aud
the bones cut OF close TO the body.
Each leg is then skinned down to the
sole OF the foot, lfthe animal bc very
large, cross cuts arc made from tho
central eaton the inside of the leg and
tho sole Of the foot The 1esh is then
remoycd'from the leg bones and the
front legs operated upon in the same
manner, aud the skin entirely removed
from the body Tho skull is then re-
moved from the carcass aud cleaned,
together with the leg, bopos, 70 be util-
. lied mounting. All The surplus fat
and flesh is then removed from tho
skin by scrapmg aud saltRnd alum ape
piled for the purpose ot preserving
it. after which it is spread out and
dried.
"In ycry mqist, bot fpunpies," tho
taxidermist wlnt on 20 say, this pro-
cess is nor SlMays eiroctiye, and tho
new cask pitlAing process is resorted
20. a large cask, parttyo filled with a
strong solution Of alum and salt. Ia
provided, and the skins after being re-
moved from the body aud thoroughly
cleanScd, arc put id aud allowed to
remain an indefinite length of time, re-
curing no fuHi@er attention of any
consoquepeH until ready for shipment,
when'an examination apd rellling Of
The bath Is rGslrteCt to.N l1,o..
"Howlong viii skins keep in such q
bathp' asked the reporters ..e
81 have Kept skins for period of
six years, aud mounted them at tho
end of that time, making irst-class
specimens Nave a large African
lion, continued tho naturalist "a
Shetland pony a'hulf seal, a blacktail
deer and number Of monkeys that
have been Ia the bath for I've or six
years. 100 WA 70"
Does tho bath have Any effect up
on tho skins or hairPn as
at has no petnebtibl6 effect upon
the skins and does not alter the color
of tho hair Ii hhs bad effect upon
they are almost like rubber. Bones
are nearly always removed before tho
skins ro-placed in tho bath.'
Tho reporter wasinvited 70 look nj
the skins in, pickle and. poering
through a small hole in large cask,
the beautiful fur Of a Diana monkey
and the soft white skin Of an Angora
goat wero plainly lisecrhable!
"lo mount An animal what, is tho
common processP'
"Iho most recent and improved
method is the manikin method, princi-
pally used ii Tho mounting Of large
mammals and birds. It differs from
the old methods. in that, first u perfect
model is made Of tho 'dntfro dnimal,
over which the skin is placed. and
with the assistance of a small quantity
Of clay modelled aud proportoued to
its perfect FORM
"Do YOU use this mcthddp''
Eyes mounted Stonewal Jack
sons horse, odd Sorrel, that way and
am now engaged in mounting beauti-
full fawn for a distinguished woman
ain some Of the specimens / havo
seen mounted there are wires visible
What part do wires play in the mount
ing Of them?n
"A most important ono Without
the use Of wires il would be almost
impossible TO mount specimens. None
OF tho wires should show int thor
oughly mounted specimen, '--NeW
York. Grnphfe.