desirable to
retain the former as an osteological preparation, and to treat the
skin as a taxidermic object.

Supposing, then, we have a lion in the flesh, our first care must be
to determine upon the position and attitude it is to ultimately
assume. Not to perplex the student too much, we determine that it
shall take the attitude of our last example (Plate IV), or else that
shown in Plate III. Accordingly, we arrange it on a platform just
raised from the floor of the studio, when by propping and judicious
management we make it, although lying on its side, assume the position
we require.

We carefully measure and take a rough tracing of the whole. The
muscles are now worked up into position, and moulds taken from them,
or from such parts of the limbs as we require. By careful arrangement
of clay, wooden walls, and other packing, it is quite possible to take
a complete cast of the whole carcase. Piece-casting, however
(described in Chapter XII), assists us here. From these moulds we cast
reproductions of parts of the lion, which will be patterns for, and
greatly assist us when, ultimately modelling up. The animal is now
skinned, and the skin prepared in the usual manner, i.e, stripped
entirely from the body, cured, and thinned down. The bowels are taken
out, the flesh is cut off the bones, and the parts H, I, J, K, and M,
N, O, P (see Plate III.), are copied by carving in lime-tree or beech
wood. [Footnote: Bones can be cast in plaster quite as easily as
anything else, and often take the place of carved wood.]

These models are then sawn longitudinally in halves, and each half
hollowed out to receive, and to be either tied, or wired on to, the
rods-1, 2, 3 and 4 of Plate IV. By this it will be seen that the model
is made up precisely as in that, the only addition being the
substitution of carved limb-bones in place of tow previously used to
bind over the rods. Clay or other substances is worked over these
"wooden bones," and the finishing processes are the same as the last.

The skeleton must be carefully mounted and articulated, as described
in Chapter XII. Be careful to get the ultimate phalanges of each limb
out of the skin, and by careful management we shall also be enabled to
get the bony core from the claw, and thus reap the advantage of having
two specimens instead of one only.

Large fishes--such as sharks; or reptiles, such as very large
alligators and crocodiles--may be mounted by slight modifications o