Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-03-11
ANIMALS OF PAPER.
Specimens Realistically Made by
 Government Taxidermist.
Papier-Mache, Composed Largely of Old Money, Used in the Same Manner as scuIptor's Clay
 by Experts.

0y &ApCEGSs
 An interesting phase of the Smith Sonian institution's preparatio for the coming St. Louis exposition is to be found in the government taxider- mist's shop. There, witha few boards, some pa pier-mache and a hide or coat of fur, specimens of animal life are being made so realistically that if seen out- side of an exhibition it would be diffi- cult to distinguish them from live creatures, reports the Washington Post. 4
 When the workshop was visited late ty the men were found putting the finishing touches on two of the beasts which are to be sent as delegates to represent their division of the animal Kingdom at the exhibition. One of them, lion, had reached stage of de- yeloPment where only the fur was needed to complete it. It stood in hfe~like attitude, and it's body of paste showed ribs and veins and muscles as naturally as that of living animal. The other specimen is rhinoceros. This was in more unfinished state. Here and there one could see pieces of the wire sheeting which is used be- heath the skin to pad 1t out in sem- blance of the natural body. The head and feet were roughly outlined, and the tail was as yet only twist of rope.
 In the adjoining room the hide was soaking in huge vat of salt and sul- phuric acrd, undergoing the tanning process preparatory to being placed on the figure. Whenever an animal dies at the National Zoo, it's skin, if at all valuable, is sent to the faxider- mist. In this particular case, however, the rhlnoceros hide was imported from South Africa. When brought here it weighed nearly 1000 pounds, but the sleeping had shrunken it to half it's original bulk. In the same cask were lying 8 big sharks head and skins of every variety going through the same preservative process which all animal coatings, from the kid of the glove maker to the hide of the whale must pass through before being used for practical purposes.
 It must be admitted that the mural decorations and other furnishings of the workrooms are of a somewhat grewsome character. To stand under a ceiling fes tooned with the bones of de- ceased animals, to gaze upon shelves ornamented with skulls, or to trip acc cidentally over the foot of wild beast gives one plenty of local color. but it takes time to become acclimated to the suggestive atmosphere.
 Among his accomplishments, the chief taxidermist must possess thor- ough knowledge of anatomyS he must understand modelling, and be able to get the proportions for a whole speci- men from skull or toe bones, much as the student of geometry builds his fig ure upon the given sides and angles. When an order is sent in, the designer takes his skin and skull, or whatever he has to build from, and gauges the other parts by comparing It's relation to standard skeleton.
 Sometimes, as in the case of the ex- hibits to be sent to St. Louis, he goes to menagerie to study from life. The next step is to set up the fat boards used to outline the legs and backbone. These are held in place by iron rods, and are covered by wire netting to give them the proper shape.
 The papier-mache, which is largely made of the pulp of old money and the usual paste and glue. Is used in the same manner as sculptor's clay. All of the detail and finishing work is done with it. It is the artistic part of the process. Finally, when the eyes have been put in place and the outer coat has been added, it is nearly two months since the commencement of the jobs for, although an imitation lion or tiger may seem at first thought simple af- fair, it is rather an intricate business to make scientifically accurate repro duction of animal life from a board. a little wire, some paste and a piece of fur.