Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-09-07

- " SShibS NuSAIbSo .VCIySIlttIS
From an Elephant 20 a Bat-Wiring
Bones Together Is Delicate Work
and Gets on the Nerves-SmaII
Skeletons Mounted Against Glass.
]. w. Scollick of the National mu-
scum in Washington is a craftsman in
a trade with probably the smallest
competition in the world. He is the
official "bone man" of the government,
or, in other words, the expert in charge
of the work Of cleaning, articulating
and mounting skeletons at the muse
um, a trade by itself and one requir-
ing infinite patience and great techni-
cal skill.
The removal Of the National museum
from the old to the new building has
resulted in the division of skeletons
being given larger quarters, and the
display has been arranged so as to
give it more prominence than ever. To
employees Of the museum and many
visitors this division is known as the
bone yard"
Perhaps there is not the attraction
in it for the average visitor that there
is in the display Of mounted animals
and the big cases of chronological
groups. but it is one of the most re-
markable collections in the whole mu-
scum. Mr.. Scollick has been in charge
Of this work for years. The display
in the museum is largely his work.
The exhibits range all the way from
a full grown elephant to a herring.
Each Of them represents weeks Of tech
meal skill apparently out Of all pro-
portion to the finished result. Though
there is nor labor in the work, the
larger skeletons are the easier to han
die. The collection includes elephants.
rhinoceroses. horses. g%orillas, the lar
himself and many mammals.
Wires, Springs and Braces.
Every bone in these big skeletons
has to be drilled and articulated with
wires. springs and metal braces. Al
though these do not show. it is neces-
sary that they be put in place with
mathematical precision to give the
natural appearance. And then. too
everything must be scientifically just
so. 1t is this which makes the finished
work apparently so easy. but in reality
so difficult.
The smaller skeletons, like lizards.
small fish. bats and snakes, are not
held together by wires. Their own
cartilage dried in place is used to hold
them together. This is one of the
many reasons why a skeleton that is
dried and mounted is never boiled.
Not only would the boiling make the
bones fall apart, but it would drive in
the grease and make the bones yellow.
the one thing not desired. The flesh
Is taken off the raw bones with a
scraper and then the bones are care
fully washed clean Of grease with gas
oline. Acids are not used at all ex-
cept on rare occasions to remove a
stain.
CareIessness Is Fatal.
Great care must be exercised in the
drying and bleaching Of the bones. This
cannot be done III Il hot sun. because
luc iol sui VIII! Ciuck Tie DOueS. as II
will seasoning wood. From a bone
artists viewpoint the best bleaching
weather is a gray. drizzling day, when
there is no danger of the SUI getting
in it's damaging work Sometimes the
bones develop black streaks. but this
can usually be remedied with the
use of dilute ammonia.
From beginning to end the whole
skeleton cleaning process is tiresome
and is said to get on the nerves.
worse than any other form Of speci-
men mounting carried on at the mu-
scum. Weeks of cleaning are required
to prepare some of the small fish skele-
tons. some OF which have to be mount
ed against glass to keep them prop
erly assembled for display. The bat
skeletons. with their long, delicate