pful. Some bits of lumber, screws,
plaster of paris, plush or leather, tacks, etc., are about all the
materials needed; also a one-fourth inch drill bit to make the necessary
holes in the frontal bone.

By sawing off the top of the skull down to the eyes we separate the
antlers and the frontal bone on which they grow, from the rest of the
skull.

Care should be taken to leave the same amount of bone on each side, so
the antlers will be the same distance from the wall.

For antlers of small or medium size eastern deer, cut a heart-shaped
block about 4x5 inches from a piece of soft 7/8-inch board. The edges of
this should be slightly beveled toward one side. This may be cut out in
its finished shape with a keyhole saw, or roughed out with a hand saw,
and trimmed up with a draw knife or wood rasp.

After drilling two or three holes in the plate of bone attached to the
antlers, arrange them evenly on this block and screw fast, using screws
which will not protrude from the back of the block. If the bone is
uneven or the antlers do not hang right, small pieces of wood may be
inserted at one side or the other until the desired effect is had. Now
put a half pint of water in some old dish and mix in plaster of paris
until it is like very thin putty. With an old knife you can spread this
over the bone and round it up nearly to the burr of the antlers.

[Illustration]

If the first mixing is not enough, mix a little more, for if too much
plaster is put on anywhere it can be easily scraped off before it gets
dry. This needs to be put on quickly as the plaster soon "sets" or
hardens and in fifteen or twenty minutes it can be scraped and trimmed
to a smooth, rounding surface.

For covering this wood and plaster base, plush, soft leather or
pantasote is used. Plush or velvet is the easiest to apply for a
beginner. A piece about nine inches square will do for our set of small
antlers. Lay this on the plaster and turning it over the edge of the
block, tack it on the back with carpet tacks, beginning in the center,
at top and bottom. Slit in each side to the antler and cut a hole large
enough to be a snug fit for the antler below the burr. Draw on and tack,
getting the wrinkles out as you proceed, the lower, or front part,
first. Lap the upper or back over it neatly at each side, turning the
edges under and fastening them with a few stitches.

It is a good plan to drive the tacks only part way at first, then they
can be easily