le of the bear mentioned
in the last chapter.

Thirdly, mounting on a model skeleton of carved wood and iron, to
represent, and to take the place of, the bones; somewhat in the manner
described for the elephant.

In each of these systems there is one point of resemblance, namely,
that the bones, or their semblances, are to be covered with hard
composition, of some kind or another, to replace the flesh and
muscles, and that the heads of mammals being often of great beauty,
and possessing certain characters of their own, are to be copied first
of all by one of two methods. Either they must be

(1) cast as a "mould" from the dead head, and the "return," or model,
again cast from that; or

(2) modelled from the dead head in clay, by the eye and by
measurements, and a mould taken from that, to be again cast into for
the model.

This latter, though entailing three processes, is the more correct,
and gives the best result when the modeller is experienced; but as the
former is the easier, and leads up to better things, I must describe
it first.

We will take as an example the most difficult head to cast--a horned
head--considering that, if we do this correctly, all others will be
easy enough. Here, then, is a stag's head, some modelling or
pipe-clay, some soft-soap, a hundredweight or so of common plaster of
Paris at about 4s. per cwt, two pails, or rather zinc or galvanised
iron buckets, one of them containing water. [Footnote: Pipe-clay quite
good enough for this purpose is sold by the pipe makers in dry blocks
or pieces, at about 6s. or 7s. per cwt. The clay must be soaked as
wanted in a bucket of water and beaten up with a stick or "bat" until
it is smooth, free from lumps, and of the consistence of very stiff
putty. It should then be formed into a square mass, and kept damp by
wet cloths.]

The first operation, after beating up the clay, is getting the head
into position; this will be easy enough should it be cut off from the
body, otherwise the head must be propped up on the table, whilst the
greater part of the body rests on boxes, or trestles, somewhat lower
than the table. A very little "gumption" will enable the learner to
cope with these small difficulties, always remembering, however, that
both body and head must be immovably fixed during the process of
casting.

Let us assume, therefore, the body arranged so that the head--face
uppermost--and part of the neck, rests on the table, firmly fixed;
supports