Chapter I: Front Matter

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Transcriber's Note:

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HOME TAXIDERMY FOR PLEASURE AND PROFIT

A Guide for those who wish to prepare and mount animals, birds, fish, reptiles, etc., for home, den, or office decoration

by

ALBERT B. FARNHAM, Taxidermist

Published by A. R. Harding, Publisher Columbus, Ohio

Copyright, 1944 By A. R. Harding Pub. Co.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER. PAGE.

INTRODUCTORY 13
I. HISTORY OF THE ART 17
II. OUTFIT--TOOLS AND MATERIALS 21
III. PRESERVATIVE PREPARATIONS, FORMULA, ETC. 38
IV. PANELS, SHIELDS AND NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL MOUNTS 48
V. FIELD WORK, COLLECTING 59
VI. SKINNING AND PRESERVING SKINS 64
VII. MAKING SCIENTIFIC SKINS 77
VIII. PREPARING DRY AND WET SKINS FOR MOUNTING 84
IX. MOUNTING SMALL AND MEDIUM BIRDS 87
X. MOUNTING LARGE BIRDS 98
XI. TANNING, CLEANING, AND POISONING SKINS 102
XII. MAKING ANIMAL FUR RUGS 110
XIII. FUR ROBES AND HOW TO MAKE THEM 123
XIV. MOUNTING ENTIRE SMALL ANIMALS 131
XV. MOUNTING LARGE ANIMALS 141
XVI. MOUNTING HEADS OF SMALL ANIMALS, BIRDS AND FISH 151
XVII. MOUNTING HEADS OF LARGE GAME 155
XVIII. MOUNTING HORNS AND ANTLERS 165
XIX. MOUNTING FEET AND HOOFS 173
XX. MOUNTING FISH 178
XXI. MOUNTING FISH--BAUMGARTEL METHOD 185
XXII. MOUNTING REPTILES, FROGS AND TOADS 203
XXIII. SKULLS AND SKELETONS 206
XXIV. SPORTSMEN'S TROPHIES 211
XXV. ODDS AND ENDS, TAXIDERMY NOVELTIES 216
XXVI. GROUPS AND GROUPING 221
XXVII. ANIMAL ANATOMY 224
XXVIII. CASTING AND MODELLING 227
XXIX. MARKET TROPHY HUNTING 233
XXX. COLLECTING AND MOUNTING FOR SALE 238
XXXI. PRICES FOR WORK 241

List of Illustrations

Page.

"Whoo? Said Wise Old Owl" Frontispiece A Specimen of the Early Day 18 Work Table, Supplies, Tools, Etc. 22 Home Made Tools 24 Taxidermists Tools 27 Taxidermists Tools--Scalpels, Scissors, Stuffers 28 Egg Drill and Other Tools 29 Glass Eyes for Animals, Birds, Fish 31 Sizes of Glass Eyes 33 Sizes of Glass Eyes (Style 1) 34 Shields--Various Kinds and Sizes 49 Shields, Foot and Hall Rack 50 Gun Rack, Fish and Game Panels, Hall Rack 51 Some Shields and Panels 52 Home Made Shield 54 Small Bird 55 Marbles Shot Gun and Rifle Combined 60 The "Stop Thief" or Choke Trap 61 Outline of Muskrat 65 Skinning Small Animal for Mounting 66 Skinning Large Animal for Mounting 69 Skinning Bird--Breast Cut 70 Hooded Merganser 71 Opening Cut on Bird 73 Scientific Skins, Small Animals and Birds 80 Foot Skinned Out 86 Clinching Leg Wires in Artificial Bird Body 88 Wire Loop for Bird Body 89 Wiring Leg of Bird 90 Bird Wired 92 Bird Wound With Thread 95 Pose or Position of Certain Birds 96 Natural Standing Position of Small Bird 97 Fluttering Position of Small Birds 97 A Bird of Prey--Limb Position 98 Spreading Tail of Large Birds 99 Eagle--Wings Braced up to Dry 100 Fleshing Knife 102 Bench Beam 103 Adjustable Beam 103 Paper Head Forms--Fox 111 Paper Head Form--Dog Closed Mouth 112 Foundation for Tow and Excelsior 113 Sewing up Bullet Hole 114 Pinked Lining, Briar Stitched 118 Sewing Trimming on Rug 118 Coyote Rug, Open Mouth 121 Coon Skin Marked to Cut for Robe 125 Strong Hide (Cattle) Laprobe 126 Eight Skin Coyote Laprobe 127 Patagonian Robe of Guanaco Skins 129 Muskrat Legs Wrapped Ready to Clay 132 Wiring for Small Animals 133 Opossum Mounted in Walking Position 137 Cat Sitting and Watching 139 Frame for Bear Manikin 143 Bolting Leg Rods to Stand 145 Fastening Rods to Back Board 149 Wild Cat Head Mounted on Shield 151 Fox Head on Neck Standard 152 Leopard Head, Artificial 153 Hawk Head 153 Sheep Head 155 Skinning Horned Heads 156 Horned Heads--Antelope, Deer 157 Deer Skull on Standard 158 Neck Board 159 Paper Head and Ear Forms 161 Finished Head--Author's Work 162 Elk and Deer Head Paper Forms 163 Bolting Shed Antlers to Block 168 Shed Elk Antlers to be Mounted 169 A Good Shield Pattern 171 Deer Antlers, Elk Feet, Bison Horns 172 Wooden Crook for Deer Foot 173 Skinned Deer Foot 174 Deer Foot Ink Well 174 Deer Foot Thermometer 175 Deer Foot Hat Rack 176 Moose Foot Jewel Case 177 Plaster Mould of Fish--Upper Half 179 Medallion Fish 182 Grayling--Results of First Fish Mounting 188 Eye of Lake Trout 191 Fish in Mould 191 Fish in Mould--End View 192 Fish in Mould--Side View 192 Fish--Incisions to be Made 193 Fish--Inside Board 196 Fish--Sewing up the Skin 198 Home Made Panel for Fish 201 Fish Head Mounted--Side View 201 Fish Head Mounted--Front View 202 Wiring System for Frog 204 Skulls--Wolf, Lynx, Otter, Mink 207 Flying Duck 212 Timber Wolf Rug, Full Head 213 Deer Head Hall Rack 214 Foot Muff Trimmed 218 Monkey Card Receiver 219 Squirrels--Grey, Red, Flying, Ground 222 Water Fowl Head 226 Three Piece Mould of Head 229 Making Mould for Half Head 231 Deer Foot Ink Well and Pen Rack 233 Mountain Lion or Puma Hide 234 Spring Lamb? Coon Head 236 Book Case Ornaments--Crow, Alligator, Owl 239