Kidemi^ 
 
 3; lllc£oits?^i5gbaiV-
 
 •
 
 ^
 
 T. J. M(:C(JNNAIJGHAY.
 
 PART FIRST 
 
 Barbers' manual 
 
 PART SECOND 
 
 Cext Book on taxidermy 
 
 By C. % mceonnaugbdv 
 
 PRICE^ SI. 25 
 
 Copyrighted and all rights reserved by author. 
 Chicago, 111., 1898.
 
 Preface* 
 
 By way of explaining the dual char- 
 acter of this little book, we here indulge 
 a few brief introductory remarks. 
 
 Part First is designed simply as a 
 manual of instruction for barbers, and 
 we hope it will, in a valuable measure, 
 supply a long felt need. It will prove 
 especially beneficial to the younger and 
 less experienced members of our craft. 
 
 The best artisans and artists admit 
 they owe much to the accumulated 
 knowledge and experience of both their 
 predecessors and their contemporaries. 
 Indeed, to assert any claim to advanced 
 knowledge and skill, without due ac- 
 knowledgements for the help received 
 from others would savor of an inex- 
 cusable egotism. The man who pro- 
 
 1754781
 
 fesses to ))e a self-made man is always 
 notorious for worshiping his maker. 
 
 We should, of course, always put 
 our own impress upon all our work. 
 Our observations on the methods of 
 others should supplement but not su})- 
 l)lant our own originality and our own 
 reason. A noted artist when asked 
 how he mixed his paints to achieve such 
 wonderful results, replied: ''I mix 
 them with brains." 
 
 So must we use our own })rains as 
 well as the brains of others, if we would 
 succeed in this day of rai)id improve- 
 ments and sharp competition. 
 
 The information given in this book 
 is not guess work, but the result of 
 long years of study and i)ractice. 
 Thirty-one years have I conducted a 
 shop of my own. During these years 
 every reci})e here given has been 
 thoroughly tested. We know they a;e 
 all good. 
 
 Part Second is devoted to taxidermy. 
 4
 
 which for twenty-three years I have 
 connected with my other shop work. 
 1 have preserved and sold hundreds of 
 specimens, and this work has proven a 
 source of much pleasure and profit, 
 enabling me to turn many otherwise 
 idle moments into money. 
 
 On this line I have not confined my- 
 self to taxidermic work alone, but have 
 also connected the tanning of hides 
 with the hair on, which I have manu- 
 factured into mats, rugs, etc. 
 
 Hence this little book, under a two- 
 foLl title, practically includes three 
 trades. 
 
 We ofi'er it as a money saving and 
 money making investment. The re- 
 cipes and other information contained 
 herein will enable any barber to make 
 all his own preparations, and to man- 
 ufacture them for sale. He may 
 also connect taxidermy and tanning if 
 it suit his pleasure and l)usiness.
 
 RIstoric SKetcb. 
 
 Tlic, word harlxT is derived from the 
 I^Mtin word 'd):ii-l)ji/' whieh means 
 lieard, and hence is a])plied to one 
 whose oeeui)ation is to shave and trim 
 Ix^anls and cut hair. 'I'he barber's crafl 
 is a very ancient one. rh(; })ractice of 
 shavin<; was common amonir the ancient 
 K<;\'|)tians, (i reeks and Romans; Jind 
 was even mentioned by tlie prophet 
 Ezekiel, chapter v, 1st verse. Amon<; 
 the ancient Israelites the removal of the 
 beard ])y shavin<^ or i)luckin<^ was a 
 sIl^ii of mourning. It would seem that 
 the oriirin of our trade was prehistoric. 
 
 In early times barl)erin<j^ was con- 
 j()inc(l with surtjfery, and the barber 
 also served the iJiiblic in the cai)acity 
 of sur^^con. In France the barber- 
 chirur^'^eons, or l)arber-sur<;eons, were 
 ()
 
 separated from the pcrriKiuiers, or 
 wio^-iiiakers, and wore incorporated as 
 a distinct body in tlu^ lattiM- part of the 
 ITili century. In Knij^land l)arbers 
 were incorporated with special privi- 
 le^res in 14G1, and were afterwards 
 united to the society of surgeons, but 
 were con lined to the minor operations 
 of blood letting and drawing teeth. In 
 1745 an act was i)assed, the preamble 
 of which declared the trade of the bar- 
 l)er and the profession of surgery are 
 foreign to and independent of each 
 other. 
 
 'I'll is act practically divorced surgery 
 from the barl)er's chair. However, 
 (piite recently the surgeons of the 
 Swedish navy were also barbers for the 
 crew. In former times, not far re- 
 mote, it was customary to keej) a lute 
 or a violin for the entertainment of 
 patrons, Avhich made the shop a favor- 
 ite resort for idle j)ersons. In China 
 and some other oriental countries, bar- 
 7
 
 !)L'rs not only shave the face, Init they 
 also shave the whole or a part of the 
 head. 
 
 BARBER'S SIGN. 
 
 Though barbering is now entirely 
 separated from surgery, yet a monu- 
 ment of their former union may be 
 still seen in the striped pole and basin 
 so often projecting from the front of 
 Ijarber shops. 
 
 The fillet, or spiral strip around the 
 pole symbolizes the winding of a rib- 
 bon round the arm previous to letting 
 blood, and its red color symbolizes the 
 blood. The Ijasin, yet sometimes seen 
 at the base, represents a vessel pre- 
 pared to catch the blood. 
 
 Barber's poles in this country are 
 tri-colored. The white symbolizes the 
 arm, the red represents the shed blood, 
 while Americans have added the blue 
 to complete our national colors. 
 8 
 
 I
 
 Recipes, formulas, etc. 
 
 GERMAN HAIR DYE. 
 
 The process here given comprehends 
 a double formula, and to insure satis- 
 factory results, the directions subjoined 
 should be carefully followed. 
 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 
 Nitrate of Silver - 
 Stronger Water of Ammonia 
 Distilled Kain Water - - 
 
 3 drachms 
 i oijnce 
 i ounce 
 
 
 No 2. 
 
 
 Pyrogallic Acid - . - 
 Alcohol ------ 
 
 Distilled or Rain Water - 
 
 3 drachms 
 
 ^ ounce 
 6 ounces 
 
 Directions. — Formula No 1, and 
 formula No. 2, should each be put up 
 in a separate bottle. 
 
 In compounding, each of the first two 
 ingredients should be combined and
 
 reduced to a solution and the water 
 then added. 
 
 Before using these prei)arations the 
 })eard or hair should first he thoroughly 
 washed and dried. 
 
 Then ai)ply Xo. 1 Avith the fingers, 
 and when })artly dried api)ly No. 2 
 with a tooth brush and a comb, being 
 careful to get the dye down to the skin. 
 If convenient let the party go out into 
 the open air for an hour. Otherwise 
 the hair should be thoroughly dried 
 with a fan, and Avashed with soap and 
 soft water. This formula was brought 
 from Germany by a St. Louis bar])er 
 and sold to the author in 1869. Proi> 
 erly put up it is not only first-class, but 
 1 have never found any other prepara- 
 tion e(pial to it. 
 
 BROWN HAIR DYE. 
 
 Take four pounds of green walnut 
 hulls. Put them in li gallons soft 
 water and boil down to three pints. 
 10
 
 Strain off through cloth until clear of 
 sediment. To one quart of this add one 
 (juart of alcohol, and 3 ounces of irly- 
 cerine. Use as other restorers, once a 
 day until the desired shade is ol)tained. 
 The hulls should be gathered in August. 
 
 QUIMNE HAIR TONIC AND SEA FOAM. 
 
 The strong point in favor of this 
 preparation as a sea foam is that it acts 
 at the same time as a tonic for the hair. 
 
 Formula. 
 
 
 Alcohol - - - 
 
 1 pint 
 
 Glycerine 
 
 ^ ounce 
 
 Tincture of Cantharides 
 
 i ounce 
 
 Aqua Ammonia 
 
 i ounce 
 
 Sulphate of Quinine - 
 
 - 30 grains 
 
 Oil of Cloves 
 
 1 drachm 
 
 Rock salt (or table salt) 
 
 i ounce 
 
 Distilled or rain water 
 
 1 pint 
 
 Directions. — AVhen using as a sea- 
 foam, wet the hair and rub briskly with 
 linger ends until the foam has disap- 
 11
 
 peared. Then take a towel and rub 
 partly dry. 
 
 A\ hen using as a dandruff cure, sea- 
 foam twice a week, dampen the hair 
 twice a day for two weeks, after 
 which use once a week as a sea-foam. 
 This will keep the scalp in tine condi- 
 tion. 
 
 After you have tried it you will use 
 no other. 
 
 CREAM FOR CHAPPED HANDS AND FACE. 
 
 This recipe was given me by a drug- 
 gist whom I have known for years. Its 
 reliable and com})etent source is a suffi- 
 
 cient guarantee: 
 
 
 FORMULA. 
 
 
 Quince seed 
 
 i ounce 
 
 Distilled extract witch hazel 
 
 - 1 pint 
 
 Glycerine 
 
 - ipint 
 
 Alcohol 
 
 - i pint 
 
 Powdered Boracic Acid 
 
 160 grains 
 
 Carbolic Acid - - - 
 
 82 drops 
 
 Perfume to suit. 
 
 
 12 

 
 Directions for Making. — First put 
 (juince seed in witch hazel and let stand 
 twenty-four hours. Then strain through 
 cheese cloth and add the other ingred- 
 ients. I know this to be good for the 
 face after shavino^. 
 
 PYTHIAN CREAM. 
 
 This is another preparation for the 
 face and hands. 
 
 FORMULA. 
 
 Gum Tragacanth (in flake) - ^ ounce 
 Glycerine - - - 4 ounces 
 Distilled or rain water - - |^ gallon 
 
 Directions for Making — Put gum 
 tragacanth in Avater and let stand till 
 thoroughly dissolved, and strain through 
 a cheese cloth. Then add the glycerine 
 and a sufficient amount of Pythian bou- 
 quet to perfume. Color pink w^ith 
 powdered carmine. It should be about 
 the consistency of cream. If too thick 
 13
 
 add more water. There should he a 
 ha If -gallon water to the four ounces of 
 glycerine when linished. 
 
 BAY CREiJI. 
 
 The only diti'erence between this and 
 Pythian Cream is in the perfume. 
 Some like the bay rum better. 
 
 Directions — Use the formula of the 
 preceding and then add perfume with 
 the genuine oil of bay. 
 
 COLD CREAM. 
 
 The only ditierence between this and 
 the two preceding creams is that instead 
 of perfume a compound of alcohol and 
 menthol is used. 
 
 Directions. — Use the same body as 
 for Pythian Cream, and then add alco- 
 hol and menthol as follows: 
 
 Put 6 drachms of menthol crystals 
 into an ounce of alcohol. AVhen the 
 menthol is thoroughly dissolved add 
 
 14:
 
 this combination to ^ gallon of the 
 cream. The presence of the menthol 
 gives this preparation a very pleasant 
 coolinof effect. Hence it is well named. 
 This cream may, of course, be per- 
 fumed if desirable. 
 
 Instead of these face creams, some 
 customers will prefer the pure bay rum, 
 while perhaps many w411 prefer witch 
 hazel. These can, of course, be ob- 
 tained from barber sui)ply houses or 
 from drug stores ; the witch hazel may 
 be improved by adding to it a good 
 cologne. Try two parts witch hazel to 
 one part cologne. 
 
 BAY RUM. 
 
 
 No. 1. 
 
 
 Bay Oil 
 
 i ounce 
 
 Oil of Pimento - 
 
 i ounce 
 
 Alcohol - - _ 
 
 3 pints 
 
 Water 
 
 - 3 pints 
 
 15 

 
 No. 2. 
 Magnesium - - - i pound 
 Oil of Bay - - - ^ pound 
 
 Mash them well toirether and put 
 them in a lilter and pour in two quarts 
 of water. Let it filter slowly, and then 
 add 2 quarts Alcohol. 
 
 IMITATION OF BAY RUM. 
 
 No 3. 
 Oil of Bay - - 3 drachms 
 
 Oil Pimento - - - ^ drachm 
 
 Water - - - 1^ ({uarts 
 
 Acetic Ether - - - l.V ounces 
 
 Alcohol - - - 2 ( quarts 
 
 Mix and let stand 3 days, then filter. 
 
 CAMPHOR ICE. 
 
 Oil of Sweet Almonds - - -!^- ounces 
 White Wax - - - - ^>.V ounces 
 Spermaceti - - - - 3^ ounces 
 Cjum Camphor - - - f ounces 
 Mix together, melt and pour otf in 
 small salve boxes.
 
 MENTHOL SALVE. 
 
 Mutton Tallow - - 1 ounce 
 
 Lard _ _ - 1 ounce 
 
 Menthol (in crystals) - 3 drachms 
 
 Melt together and pour off in salve 
 boxes. 
 
 Both the Camphor Ice and the Men- 
 thol salve are good for tender faces. 
 
 SILVER GLOSS SHAMPOO. 
 
 This is an economic and very satis- 
 factory preparation. 
 
 FORMULA. 
 
 White Castile Soap (the very 
 
 best) - - - - 1 pound 
 Refined Carbonate of Potash f pound 
 Distilled or rain water - - 1 gallon 
 Table Salt - - - i ounce 
 
 Refined Carbonate of Potash is also 
 called Pure Salts of Tartar. I have 
 found the English brands preferable. 
 17
 
 Directions. — Shave the soa}) fine and 
 l)ut into the water (as per above form- 
 ula), which should l)e contained in a 
 porcelain vessel. 
 
 Let it boil until soap is thoroughly 
 dissolved and strain off into another 
 vessel, and then add the pure salts of 
 tartar while still hot. Add the salt and 
 enough more Ijoiling water to replace 
 the amount which has boiled away, and 
 continue to stir until it becomes only 
 luke warm; then add a few drops of the 
 oil of cloves (or some other perfume), if 
 desirable. Finally pour off in small 
 jelly jars and set away for use. 1 gallon 
 made in this way will make 5 gallons of 
 ordinary shampoo, by simply adding 4 
 gallons more of water. This (quantity 
 should not cost over fifty cents. A 
 pound of the refined carbonate of })ot- 
 ash costs twenty cents, and a pound pf 
 castile soap only fifteen cents, and the 
 perfume Avill cost less than the re- 
 mainder of 50 cents. 
 18 
 
 (
 
 One teaspoonful is enough to clean 
 any ordinary suit of hair. 
 
 In cleaning ladies' hair it is well to 
 add a little ethylic ether, commonly 
 called sulphuric ether. ^ ever use hard 
 water. If necessary save up enough 
 rain water. I give elsewhere directions 
 for making shampooing outfit, Avhich 
 may also be conveniently used for 
 shower baths in shops and houses where 
 there is no connection with water works. 
 Water to be used for shampooing should 
 always be warm. 
 
 EGCi SHAMPOO. 
 
 This favorite preparation should be 
 used immediately after mixing. 
 
 Take 1 fresh egg, 1 teaspoonful of 
 silver gloss shampoo, and J teaspoonful 
 of powdered borax. Mix together with 
 an egg beater, and then use as other 
 shampoos. 
 
 19
 
 A CHEAP SEA FOAM. 
 
 Take i^ ounces of the silver gloss 
 shampoo, 2 ounces alcohol, 1 ounce 
 irlycerine and 1 pint water; shake well 
 together and perfume to suit your 
 fancy. 
 
 The shampoo or sea foam can be 
 colored a nice yellow by making a tea 
 of satfron and water, adding enough 
 after straining it to get the desired 
 color Powdered carmine can also be 
 used to color a red or pink color. 
 
 BRILLIAMINE. 
 
 Take 1 ounce of good glycerine, J 
 ounce of rose geranium and 1 ounce 
 water. Mix. This i)reparation is a good 
 one, and can be made very cheap by 
 using a less amount of the perfume. 
 It never separates, and is good as long 
 as there is a drop of it left. 
 
 ENORAVIX; FLLIDS. 
 
 for 
 
 20 
 
 AVe here irive a forniuhi for raakiuor
 
 an etchins: fluid, to he nsed in markini!^ 
 razors, shears and other steel tools. 
 
 FORMULA. 
 
 Bluestone - - - 1 ounce 
 
 Table Salt - - - 1 ounce 
 
 Water - - - - 6 ounces 
 
 Directions. — Cover blade or plate 
 with soap or varnish, and then with 
 etching needle or common pencil write 
 the name or letters desired, being care- 
 ful to score or scratch through to the 
 metal. Then till the traced lines with 
 the fluid and let it remain five minutes. 
 The fluid will corrode the metal in the 
 lines thus laid bare. Therefore when 
 the covering and acid are washed off 
 the lettering will remain. 
 
 Be careful to wash promptly and dry 
 thoroughly. 
 
 BLACK HEADS. 
 
 What are known as black heads are 
 generally found in the skin of people 
 21
 
 who are addicted to the use of much 
 hog meat. iSuch people are also as a 
 rule, rather careless, to say the least, 
 about bathing their faces. A hint to 
 the wise will be sufficient. Let them 
 not be afraid a rough towel will scratch 
 them. I give below a recipe highly 
 recommended. 
 
 FORMULA. 
 
 Alcohol - - - 4 ounces 
 
 Boracic Acid - - - 2 drachms 
 
 Distilled or rain water - 1^ ounces 
 
 Apply this three times per day after 
 first having thoroughly washed the face 
 and rul)bing dry Avith a coarse towel. 
 Considerable benefit will, at least, be 
 derived from a faithful application of 
 the above. 
 
 HAIR BLEACHING. 
 
 First clean the hair with the Silver 
 Gloss shampoo, and when dry apply 
 peroxide of hydrogen until damp. 
 
 22'
 
 When dry, again repeat the application, 
 and continue to repeat it until nearly as 
 light as desired. 
 
 The hair will continue to bleach a 
 little lighter for about three days, and 
 hence it is necessary to discontinue the 
 application when the hair is a shade 
 darker than desired. 
 
 WHITENING FOR THE FACE. 
 
 Put 1 ounce of the oxide of zinc into 
 a plate and pour over it 3 ounces of 
 soft water. Mash zinc with a spoon 
 until it is all dissolved. Pour the solu- 
 tion into a pint bottle and fill up with 
 witch hazel. When the weather is cold, 
 pure soft water may be used instead of 
 the witch hazel; but the preparation 
 would sour in warm weather. Apply 
 with a soft cloth. 
 
 BARBERS' ITCH. 
 
 Fear of this disease causes many men 
 to shave themselves, and this class 
 23
 
 would otherwise be among the very 
 best customers. 
 
 When these men observe how care- 
 less the average barber is with his 
 towels, mugs, tools, etc., they become 
 disgusted and purchase a shaving outfit 
 and quit the ])arbers' chair, except when 
 they want a hair-cut. 
 
 I believe every barber should know 
 how to treat this disease. Hence I will 
 make a few suggestions as to its causa- 
 tion and treatment. 
 
 Scabies, or itch, in its various forms 
 is a disease caused by the irritation pro- 
 duced from the presence in the skin of 
 what is called the itch mite and the ova 
 of the same. The cure involves the de- 
 struction of these parasites. Get a 
 doctor, if possible, to prescribe; if no 
 doctor can be got who understands it, 1 
 would try the following: An ointment 
 made from the flour of sulphur and 
 lard or sulphur and vaseline, is about 
 the best remedy known. Hub in well 
 24
 
 at night and wash off in morning. Or 
 take citron ointment 1 ounce and mut- 
 ton tallow 1 ounce. Melt together and 
 stir till cool. This I have found one of 
 the best salves for all skin diseases I 
 have ever tried. Apply twice a day, but 
 use with care since it contains mercury. 
 
 HAIR OILS AJfD HAIR DRESSINGS. 
 
 While oiling the hair is a thing of 
 the past, we might indulge a few re- 
 marks as a matter of history. Thirty 
 years ago almost every customer used 
 oil on his hair, and every barber was 
 expected to know how to mix his own 
 oils. A favorite preparation was made 
 as follows: 1 pint of alcohol and 1| 
 pints of castor-oil were shaken to- 
 gether, and then perfumed with citron- 
 ella or bergamot. 
 
 Another favorite was made of rac- 
 coon oil and lard mixed half and half, 
 and perfumed with the oil of cloves. 
 25
 
 Some used the coon oil straight: 
 others used the oil of birds, geese, 
 chickens or ducks, etc. Bear oil was 
 considered a great oil for the hair as 
 well as for many other purposes. My 
 own favorite among all the home made 
 preparations was made from beef 
 marrow. The marrow was tried out 
 and a little salt was added. The oil 
 was then perfumed with bergamot. 
 
 POMADES. 
 
 In selecting material for pomade, 
 have a butcher get you some fine leaf 
 lard and some of the finest suet, which 
 should be taken from young animals. 
 Render out separately in porcelain ves- 
 sels and strain oflf. 
 
 Directions. — Take lard 1 pound, tal- 
 low 1 pound; mix them and heat gently, 
 and cook for one hour over a slow fire ; 
 remove and let stand a few minutes to 
 settle; now pour off carefully. AVheii 
 almost cold add some suitable perfume, 
 26
 
 say oil of bergamot 4 drachms, oil of 
 lemon 3 drachms, oil of cassia 2 
 drachms, oil of nutmeg 75 drops. Mix 
 thoroughly y/ith the pomade and pour 
 into small jars. 
 
 STICK POMADES. 
 
 Take of the prepared tallow 1 pound, 
 pure, clean bees wax 3 ounces, gum 
 benzoin, in a coarse powder, 1 J drachms. 
 Melt together with a slow heat, mixing 
 all the while. When partly cooled add 
 some suitable perfume. Pour it off in 
 moulds and when cold take out and 
 wrap in tin foil, then put on a nice 
 label as outer coverinof. 
 
 To make the above into a coloring- 
 pomade, take 3 pounds of the prepared 
 lard and tallow, before being p3rfumed; 
 add to it 2 pounds of fresh walnut hulls, 
 cut up fine; put into a porcelain vessel 
 and heat gently for four hours. Take 
 off and strain, and proceed as in making 
 the black pomade. This will gradually 
 27
 
 color the hair or beard to a nice brown 
 by being used daily until the desired 
 shade is obtained. 
 
 HOW TO STOP BLOOD. 
 
 Every barber should have at hand a 
 preparation for stopping blood. The 
 })estof barbers are liable to bring blood 
 from rough or tender faces. An as- 
 stringent pencil, which is very good 
 and very handy, may be obtained from 
 the barber supply houses in the cities 
 at a cost of only lU cents each. How- 
 ever, I prefer MdnselFs Powdered Iron 
 which may be oljtained from any drug 
 store. The only ol^joction to it is, it is 
 liable to discolor the skin. However, 
 by being careful to put on only a small 
 amount, it may easily be washed oti' 
 when the blood has ceased to ooze. 
 
 If a small bump has been cut off or 
 a shallow cut made in the smooth skin, 
 it will generally suffice to cover it 
 28
 
 A ith a thick lather and let it remain until 
 the shaving is completed. 
 
 Alum is also used but is too slow in 
 its action. 
 
 HAIR RESTORERS. 
 
 I could give a formula that would 
 make the hair fall out, but thus far I 
 have not been able to find a preparation 
 that will produce a new grow^th of hair 
 on bald heads As a preventative treat- 
 ment I might suggest as follows: 
 
 Boil burdock root in soft water until 
 strong, and then add to one pint of it, a 
 half pint of alcohol, a teaspoonful of 
 salt, and 1 ounce of glycerine. This 
 used once a day will prevent the hair 
 from falling out. Or make a strong 
 decoction of black tea or sage and mix 
 with the alcohol, salt, and glycerine 
 as above and use as above. 
 
 The basis of most hair tonics is the 
 tincture of cantharides, quinine, am- 
 monia camphor, and salt. A solution 
 29
 
 of borax in camphor water is used hy 
 some as a stimulant for the scalp. I 
 have a friend Avho is experimenting on 
 a new line with very encouraging i)ros- 
 pects of successfully producing hair on 
 bald heads. If any party interested 
 will address me a few months hence, I 
 may be able to advise them how to re- 
 produce hair on Ijald heads. 
 
 GLASS HONES. 
 
 A glass hone is easily made, and no 
 barber should be without one. Pro- 
 cure a piece of heavy plate glass and 
 have a glass cutter cut it into pieces 
 3x8 inches in dimensions. Take the 
 gloss off the face and also around the 
 edges on a grindstone, and then finish 
 l)y rubbing the face of the hone with 
 })umice-stone kept wet with water. 
 Continue this rubbing until the gloss is 
 entirely removed and the hone is 
 smooth. Before honing take a rubber, 
 such as is used on a water hone, and, 
 30
 
 after ^vetting hone nib until you have 
 a sort of lather. Hone on this as you 
 would on any other hone. You will 
 lind it excellent for smoothing shears 
 after grinding, or a razor after having 
 been over honed. 
 
 MUGS, BRUSHES AND SOAPS. 
 
 The mug should be large and heavy 
 and the brush used to make the lather 
 should also be large and first-class in 
 every particular. In regard to brushes, 
 I would suggest that it pays to buy the 
 very best. 
 
 A poor brush that is continually 
 shedding hairs is very annoying to the 
 customer, and it hinders the barl)er. I 
 prefer the rubbev fer ruled brush, but 
 be sure to get the genuine. 
 
 In regard to soap I must admit that 
 I am partial to the J. B. AVilliams bar- 
 ber soap. However, there are other 
 brands that give good satisfaction. 
 31
 
 There are no soaps too good. Hence 
 get the best. 
 
 FACE POWDERS. 
 
 There is nothing much better than 
 cake magnesia, Init it should only be 
 used to dry the face after shaving. I 
 have given a liquid whiting which is 
 much used by ladies. I have often used 
 it on men to whiten the skin. See 
 whitening for the face. 
 
 SHOWER BATH AND SHAMPOO CAN. 
 
 Take a common tin bucket whicli 
 holds three gallons, have a small tube 
 one inch long and one quarter of an 
 inch in diameter put in one side about 
 one half inch from ])ottom of bucket. 
 
 Then get a rubljer hose three feet 
 long of suitable diameter to fit on to 
 the tube. At the other extremity of 
 the hose attach a sprinkler with its tub- 
 ular end made to fit the hose. 
 
 Connect the hose to bucket and the 
 32 
 
 I
 
 sprinkler to hose, {ind the can is com- 
 plete. 
 
 Lay the sprinkler over the upper 
 rim of can ( or bucket ) to keep the 
 water from flowing out. Fill with soft 
 warm water ; and, when ready to take 
 the bath or shampoo, hang from ceiling 
 or set on shelf high enough to allow the 
 water to flow over the head and body. 
 
 Put on the shampoo. Take the 
 sprinkler and thoroughly wash and 
 rinse. 
 
 Three gallons of water used in this 
 way is ])etter than a whole l)ath tub full 
 used in the ordinary way. This appar- 
 atus of course applies to country places 
 where they have not the advantage of 
 water works, or where the water fur- 
 nished is hard. 
 
 TOWELS, HAIR CLOTHS, AND FACE 
 CLOTHS. 
 
 If you would secure first-class trade, 
 you must keep a good supply of clean 
 33
 
 ffoocl lookinjr towels. Nc^tliinii- is more 
 disgusting in a shop than a lot of dirty 
 ragged towels. 
 
 The workmen may be tirst-class, the 
 tools first-class, etc. ; but unless the 
 towels are in proper condition the bet- 
 ter class of trade will go elsewhere. 
 
 I prefer a good moderate sized cotton 
 towel, except for the wash cloth, where 
 I prefer a cotton crash towel on the 
 order of a bath towel. 
 
 This crash comes in bolts and may 
 be cut the desired length; it must, how- 
 ever, be hemmed. For the l)ath always 
 use a good towel l)ut not too large. 
 
 The breast cloth made of calico or 
 gingham, should be full width of goods, 
 and not less than three and a half feet 
 long. It should have a half neck open- 
 ing at one side made to fit up around 
 the neck. 
 
 The hair cloth may be made of cal- 
 ico, gingham or bleached sheeting. If 
 the sheeting is used get the goods wide 
 34
 
 enough to require no seam, and then 
 border with a two inch band of red 
 oiled calico. 
 
 SUGGESTIONS FOR BEGINNERS. 
 
 In the first place, if you have made 
 up your mind to be a barber, why not 
 be a good one. There is always room 
 at the top, and rich reward for him who 
 has reached the top. Rich reward, 
 however, is the price of self-exertion. 
 Do not wait for a tidal wave to waft 
 you on to success. The minions of 
 fortune are few and far between. You 
 must not only work but you must em- 
 brace every opportunity to improve 
 your qualifications', if you would 
 achieve success in this age of advanced 
 knoAvledo^e and skill. You should 
 always be on the alert, and never miss 
 an opportunity to acquire useful inform- 
 ation. Knowledge is power, and it 
 behooves you to gain all the knowledge 
 you can, especially of your own busi- 
 35
 
 ness. If necessary pay for it, work for 
 it, or even beg for it. The possession 
 of a good fund of practical knowledge 
 with other necessary qualities of mind 
 and heart, will enal^le one to wear good 
 clothes, make plenty of money and to 
 have scores of friends; while the lack 
 of it will make another the digger of 
 ditches, living in rags and poverty, and 
 deprived of the more congenial com- 
 panionship of the l)etter and nobler ele- 
 ments of society. Knowledge pays. 
 
 Moreover, while you should attend 
 Avell to the proper equipment of your 
 mind, you should rtot neglect the 
 proper cultivation of your social char- 
 acter. Especially should you cultivate 
 what might be termed a practical busi- 
 ness social tact. 
 
 Treat every customer as though your 
 success depended upon him and him 
 alone, and alwa3^s exert your utmost to 
 do good work. Much depends upon 
 the barber's ability to shave well. To 
 36
 
 accomplish the great desideratam of 
 being able to shave well each one of 
 the various customers with their vary- 
 ing qualities of beard, you must dili- 
 gently study the temper of your razors 
 with reference to the peculiar beard of 
 each customer. Again much depends 
 upon the lather, the brush, the hone, 
 the strop, etc. Hence you will please 
 pardon a few simple primary sugges- 
 tions leading up to a good shave. First 
 you must equip yourself with first-class 
 tools. 
 
 Procure a first-class oil hone. 
 
 A larofe rubber f erruled lather brush. 
 
 A large heavy shaving mug. 
 
 A half dozen No. 1 razors, 4^ to 4f 
 wide and f concave. 
 
 Your soap and all other materials 
 and implements should be as good as 
 you are able to buy. 
 
 When you hone your razor on the 
 oil hone, use good soap and make a 
 stiff lather which you will spread on the 
 37
 
 hone. Then place the razor on the hone 
 and (IraAV very lightly from heel to 
 point so that the edge of the razor 
 will always be on the front side of the 
 moving blade. Each stroke across the 
 hone should be a sloping or sawing 
 stroke, and at the end of each the razor 
 should be turned on the back and 
 pushed up across the end of the hone, 
 and the other side of the ])lade laid 
 flat on the hone. Then draw the razor 
 back with a curving or angular stroke 
 to the other end of the hone. Turn 
 again as before and continue with steady 
 stroke until you think the blade is 
 sharp. Wet the thumb nail and try the 
 edge by drawing it lightly from end to 
 end. Should the edge feel blunt or 
 rough make a feAV more strokes on the 
 hone and try again, and so on until the 
 edge is satisfactory. A better way to 
 test the edge, if }'ou have a smooth soft 
 hand, is to wet the end of thumb or 
 fore finger and draw the razor lightly 
 38
 
 over it feeling of the edge. However, 
 it requires practice to tell with certainty 
 by either method. Therefore practice 
 carefully until you become expert. 
 
 We will here make a few suggestions 
 in regard to the different hones 
 generally used by barbers. The 
 oil hone, which is supposed to be 
 petrified hickory, is the one most used, 
 and is perhaps the best. Second in rank 
 and general use comes the Swatty hone 
 which is made from the same material 
 as the emery wheel, but it is of finer 
 grade. This is a very fast cutting 
 hone. Next comes the water hone 
 which is simply a fine grit stone, and 
 then comes the glass hone which is but 
 little used. A few barbers use it to 
 take off the wire edge of over-honed 
 razors. Hones should be handled with 
 great qare. In honing the razor should 
 l)e run well out to the ends to prevent 
 hollowing the hone. Should a hone 
 begin to hollow, work it down with fine 
 39
 
 sand paper to a perfect face and snKjoth 
 it with the ru})l)er used on the water 
 hones. I prefer olive oil on an oil 
 hone if carefully used. Of course lather 
 may be used on an oil hone the same as 
 on the Swatty and glass hones. Use 
 water on the Avater hone and rul> Avith 
 the rub stone commonly used until the 
 surface is covered with a sort of soapy 
 pasty lather before honing. The glass 
 hone may be used in the same manner. 
 Any hone when not in use should be 
 wrapped up and laid away carefully 
 after having been washed and thor- 
 oughly cleaned. 
 
 You should be provided with a good 
 shell strop, or a good Russian leather 
 strop, and also a good canvas strop. 
 After honing strop the razor lightly on 
 the leather only. The canvas should 
 not be used except when the razor has 
 become smooth. When you have a 
 customer in the chair, first put a clean 
 towel on him and proceed to make the 
 40
 
 I.'iihcr iisinu: w.'irm soft waU^'. L.'ithor 
 \\m tiiv\) ;ui(l scour tJu^ I)(\'M"(I, mihI l.luiii 
 I.mIJum" ;iiz;M'm with a i^ood lK\'ivy l.-itliei-. 
 Ti-occhmI to shnvo, (lrji\viii<i; tlio razor 
 with a, sa\viM^- strokes, and make tlic 
 strokes as loiii^ as practicable. Hold 
 the skin lii^ht to throw out the board, 
 and fro over tho face the first time as 
 (juickly as possible. Thi^ii wash the 
 soap JToin the t'acH^, and ^o ()V(5r it a 
 second time, ke(5pin^- the< skin somewhat 
 stretch(Ml, and wet with soft water. 
 Whenlinished, i)ress a hot towel to the 
 face and then use one of the face creams 
 iiiven in this book. 
 
 Next p()W(h5r the face, and curl and 
 perfume tlie mustaclie. If you think 
 his hair needs trimming tell him so, 
 and if he has it done, do your very 
 best, even taking' pains to cut the hair 
 out of his ears. Shave his nock. The 
 most important point is to get a good 
 edge on the hair. 
 
 If he takes a shampoo, first give tho 
 41'
 
 scalp a good ])i'ushing to loosen the 
 (landrutf, and then use Silver Gloss 
 Shampoo, giving liiiu to understand 
 that you have it for sale for family 
 use. Rinse hair with warm soft water, 
 and dry with a line bath towel, and then 
 ask him if you shall apply some of the 
 hair tonic which will cost him only ten 
 cents extra. 
 
 Comb his hair in the latest style, 
 a,ndif he desires it, color his mustache 
 with the celebrated German Hair Dye. 
 Help him into his coat, and thanking 
 him Ijid him come again. 
 
 Purchase every good book pertaining 
 to your business, study diligently and 
 practice what you learn, and you will 
 soon stand abreast with the l)est and 
 most progressive barbers. You should 
 be prompted by no meaner ambition. 
 
 SUCCESS. 
 
 '' If you wish success in life. 
 
 Make perseverance your bosom friend. 
 
 Experience your wise counselor, 
 
 Caution your elder brother. 
 And hope your guardian genius. " 
 
 .42 Addison. 
 
 I
 
 ss 
 
 Dxidermist $ IDanuaK 
 
 By T. J. McCONNAUGHAY. 
 8S 
 
 43
 
 Caxidermisfs manual 
 
 By T. J. McCONNAUGHAY. 
 
 The word taxidermy is derived from 
 the two Greek words, taxis, which 
 means arrangement, and derma which 
 means skin. Hence this term is ap- 
 plied to the art of preserving and 
 mounting the skins of animals for orna- 
 mental and scientific purposes. Little is 
 known of the origin of this art, but it 
 would seem from books of travel and 
 natural history, that it is at most, not 
 more than three hundred years old. It 
 began to be practiced in England about 
 the beo'innino^ of the 18th centurv, 
 which fact is proven from the ''Sloane 
 Collection" which was formed in 1825, 
 15
 
 as the nucleus of the present natural 
 history collection lodged in the gal- 
 leries of South Kensington. It was 
 about the middle of the iHih century 
 that the first ])ook devoted to the prin- 
 ciples of taxidermy was pul)lished in 
 France. After this, others appeared 
 from time to time in France and Ger- 
 many, but England contributed no lit- 
 erature on the subject until about the 
 beginning of the present century. In 
 1828 an Englishman named Scudder, 
 established a museum of mounted speci- 
 mens in an old alms house in Xew York 
 City. Previous to this, the art seems 
 to have l)een absolutely unknown in 
 America. It was not till the exhil)i- 
 tion of 1851, that the French and Ger- 
 man taxidermists taught the English 
 the principles of scientific treatment. 
 
 Since that time several works have 
 
 appeared from the pens of English and 
 
 American authors. Prominently among 
 
 the American writers, were Charles 
 
 16
 
 Waterton and Titian R. Peale who 
 greatly improved the art in this coun- 
 try. 
 
 Jules Verreaux, of Paris, brought 
 the art to a still higher perfection, and 
 introduced methods for giving to speci- 
 mens a life-like expression, which ele- 
 vated it quite to the realm of higher art. 
 Great were his accomplishments in the 
 art of expressing the actions and char- 
 acteristic attitudes of the living ani- 
 mals. Since his day taxidermy has 
 rivaled the plastic art, and today, it has 
 reached such a degree of perfection 
 that the most artistic and ctsthetic 
 effects may be wrought Ijy the hands of 
 any operator Avho possesses artistic fac- 
 ulties. The IlliiTois State Natural His- 
 tory Society of Bloomington, pul)lished 
 an illustrated pamphlet from the pen 
 of one Mr. Holder, which is a very val- 
 uable contril^ution to taxidermic liter- 
 ature. The author w^as doubtless 
 greatly improved by his associations 
 47
 
 with Au(liil)uii and Bell, and in his 
 hook he gives the results of a ripe ex- 
 l)erience. This book ranks as one of 
 the best yet published. We submit 
 the results of our own patient study 
 and i)ractical ex{)erience, and hope it 
 may prove a worthy atldition. 
 
 ARTICLE I. 
 
 ON SKINNING, STUFFING AND PRESERVA- 
 TION OF BIRDS. 
 
 SKINNING. 
 
 Immediately after 
 the bird is killed, the nos- 
 trils, throat and wounds 
 should be stuffed with 
 cotton to prevent the 
 blood from oozing out 
 and staining the plu- 
 mage; but should any 
 blood get on the plu- 
 mage, it should be re- 
 moved as soon as i)os- 
 
 48
 
 sible. This can be done by taking a 
 cloth or sponge and dipping it in clean 
 water, wringing it out so as to leave it 
 only moist, and rubbing the feathers 
 gently until all traces of blood stain are 
 removed. Now sprinkle the feathers 
 with plaster of paris, and shake out 
 before it sets. Repeat this until they are 
 perfectly dry, 
 and then wrap 
 the specimen in 
 paper to protect 
 the plumage un- 
 til ready to skin, 
 which should be 
 done as soon as 
 the bird cools. 
 
 In proceeding 
 to skin a bird, 
 spread a cloth on a board or table and 
 lay the bird on its back. Separate the 
 feathers on the breast with a scalpel or 
 knife. Insert the knife at the top of 
 breast-bone and cut the skin from there 
 49
 
 to the tail. Great care should be taken 
 not to cut too deep over the intestines, 
 as it is only necessary to cut through 
 the skin. Now begin where you first 
 inserted the knife and proceed to sepa- 
 rate the skin from the flesh, either with 
 the fingers or the back of the scalpel or 
 knife. Tear some small pieces of 
 paper, say about an inch square, and 
 jnit under the skin on the flesh as you 
 get them separated, which will keep 
 the feathers from sticking to the flesh 
 and l)ecoming soiled ; or sprinkling 
 cornmeal over the flesh and skin while 
 skinning, will answer the same pur- 
 pose. Press carefully down each side 
 to backbone. Now press the thighs for- 
 ward and inward, draw the skin from 
 the thighs, unjointing them at the fir.st 
 joint from the body. 
 
 The skin is now removed over the 
 rump, and the tail unjointed, taking- 
 care not to injure the tail feathers. 
 Now for convenience, take a cord and 
 50
 
 fasten it to a nail on the wall or oeilinff, 
 put a wire hook on the other end, and 
 fasten in the bird so you can suspend 
 it high enough above the table to work 
 on it easily. Now pull the skin down- 
 wards until you get to the wings, 
 which are to be un jointed at the shoul- 
 der joint. It is then pulled down over 
 the skull until the ears are reached. 
 Here many valuable specimens are 
 spoiled by cutting the ears too close to 
 the skin, so be sure to cut the ears 
 close to the skull. 
 
 The eyelids are often spoiled also by 
 inexperienced hands. Be sure and cut 
 them well back and, if necessary, trim 
 them afterwards. Now remove the eye- 
 balls and unjoint the skull from the 
 neck, enlarge the opening at the base 
 of skull, where the neck came off, and 
 remove the brain with spoon made 
 for that purpose. Now remove the 
 flesh from the this^h bone down to 
 knee joint, and turn them back in place; 
 51
 
 then skill the winofs out to first joint 
 and remove the tiesh. There is yet one 
 job and the skinning process is com- 
 pleted. Divide the feathers on the un- 
 der side of the Aving between the second 
 and third joints, cut the skin, and with 
 a sharp knife cut out all flesh from the 
 bone, and put in some of the preserving 
 powder; cover it with a little cotton 
 and sew it up, l)eing careful not to draw 
 any of the feathers in; press the feath- 
 ers down smooth, and see that each is 
 in its proper place. 
 
 There are some birds with large 
 heads and small necks. With these we 
 cannot draw the skin over the head, 
 but have to push the skin as near the 
 head as it is possil)le, and cut ofl' the 
 neck bone; then make an opening un- 
 der the throat large enough to turn out 
 the skull and the remaining part of the 
 neck bone, and proceed to skin the skull, 
 take out brain, etc., as directed hereto- 
 fore. The flesh must be carefully re- 
 52
 
 moved from all parts of the skin, and 
 the preserving powder applied, ))eing 
 very careful that all parts are well })ow- 
 dered. 
 
 If you now wish to mount the bird 
 it can })e done immediately. 
 
 STUFFING BIRDS. 
 
 In the first place take some plaster 
 paris, mix it with water to a stiff paste, 
 and fill the eye-sockets with it, then 
 press the glass eye in the paris, using 
 great care to set them in as near a nat- 
 ural position as possible. When the 
 plaster has hardened, which it does 
 very quickly, if the skin has l^ecome 
 dry, dampen it with a damp sponge, 
 and turn it back over the skull, then 
 lay the bird on the table and proceed 
 to put in the frame, stuff and sew up. 
 
 I give three kinds of frames. One 
 
 is the wire and wood frame, which you 
 
 see on page 78, Figs. 9 and 10. The 
 
 others, wire frames, on page 80, Fig. 3, 
 
 53
 
 for birds; also Fig. 11, for humming 
 birds and other small ])irds, on page 78. 
 Take frame described Nos. 9 and 1<), 
 having the leg wire AA detached from 
 body board, fill the neck with tow, be- 
 ing careful not to fill "it too full; run 
 neck wire E through the center of the 
 neck and pass it out at the top of head, 
 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, or through 
 one of the nostrils. 1 prefer the latter, 
 because it does not break the skin and 
 holds the head more steady. Then put 
 the tail support E through the center 
 or heavy part of the tail, raise the body 
 board and place under it some tow or 
 cotton; or pad the board by placing 
 some cotton on it and tacking some 
 cloth over it to keep the frame off from 
 the back; then take the leg wires, Fig. 
 13, AA and put them in the legs, as 
 shown in cut No. 3, and fasten on to the 
 body Ijoard with blind staples, as repre- 
 sented in cut No. 3; proceed with the 
 stufling; finish filling out the neck and 
 54
 
 breast, shaping it while filling, using 
 care not to get it too full, as that is a 
 fault of most beginners; after filling it 
 down to the opening, the next should 
 be the legs; if the leg bone is left in 
 from the knee up, wrap it to the leg 
 wire with a strip of muslin and tie it; 
 then stuff the leg up to the body, fill 
 the body and sew up; in sewing be care- 
 ful not to draw any of the feathers 
 doAvn with the thread. After it is all 
 sewed up, place all the feathers down 
 smooth and in their proper place, as 
 much depends on this. 
 
 Next place the specimen on a board 
 or perch; if on a board, procure a suit- 
 able one, bore two holes the size of the 
 leg wires through it, then make a 
 groove on the under side of board run- 
 ning off from each hole to lay wire 
 down in; place the specimen on the 
 board, running the leg wires through 
 it, and draw the wires down until the 
 legs set in proper position, bend the 
 55
 
 wires down into the grooves and fasten 
 tliom with small ])lind staples. In this 
 connection one should use his own judg- 
 ment in placing the bird on the board; 
 one leg should generally be placed a litr 
 tie in advance of the other. If the bird 
 is to be placed on a limb perch, bore 
 the holes through the limb, place the 
 ])ird on, and draw the wires tight, and 
 drive a wooden wedge in beside the 
 wire to hold it, then file the wire off 
 close to the under side of the perch. 
 Pose the bird in as natural a position as 
 you can, imitating nature as near as 
 possible. Place the wings in position, 
 then take a piece of wire heavy enough 
 to hold the wings in place. Sharpen one 
 end, and make a square turn about one- 
 fourth of an inch from the other end 
 to keep it from pulling through the wing. 
 Now place the wings in proper shape. 
 Pass the wire through the Avings and body 
 in a way to hold them in shape. Pull 
 the wire until the turn on the one end 
 56
 
 presses against the wing. Cut the wire 
 on other side of bird and turn it back, 
 as on the other side, so that the wire 
 cannot be pulled either way; then ar- 
 range the whole body — wings, neck, 
 tail, head, etc. In case the specimen 
 is a web-footed bird, take a thin piece 
 of board, say from a cigar box, cut it 
 to fit in between the toes, and tack 
 them in to hold the web in shape while 
 drying. This should be removed when 
 dry. After all is completed bathe the 
 buts of wings, the feet, legs and beak, 
 with the preserving fluid; this should 
 be repeated for three or four days. 
 Then let the specimen dry in a shady 
 place. It can then be placed on another 
 board or perch and set in the cal)inet. 
 
 MOUNTING BIRDS ON WIRE FRAME. 
 
 (See directions for making* frame.) 
 
 Skin the bird and prepare it as 
 directed in this article. Fill the neck 
 with tow, put in neck Avire, letting the 
 
 57
 
 end come out through the nostril; bend 
 leg Avires AA Ixick so as to get them 
 in the legs; run them down on the in- 
 side of the leg, or through the center 
 of leg bone, and come out in the center 
 of the foot. (See cuts Nos. 2 and 3.) 
 Put tail support E through the under 
 part of the tail, and proceed as di- 
 rected heretofore in this article, to 
 stuff, sew up, etc. 
 
 Where the tow can not be secured 
 and you have to use cotton in stuffing, 
 always put in the neck wire first, and 
 stuff" around it or wrap the neck wire 
 with strips of muslin, old calico, or 
 anything that can be used for that pur- 
 pose, always being careful not to make 
 the neck too large. Excelsior can be 
 used to irood advantage in stuffingf laro^e 
 bodies. 
 
 PELICANS. 
 
 In dressing a pelican always use the 
 board and wire frame. For position, 
 
 58
 
 copy after some picture of the bird, 
 which you can find in any natural his- 
 tory. The only difference in dressing 
 from the goose, etc., is they have a 
 game sack under the lower jaw, which 
 is often as much as ten inches wide and 
 sixteen inches long. I find the best 
 way to dress that is to take a fine shin- 
 gle, wide and long enough, and trim it 
 in the shape of a sleigh runner, and 
 put it inside of the pouch or game sack, 
 with the straight edge up and the 
 square end toward the neck. Draw 
 the pouch smooth over the shingle, 
 and tie the bill together, then wet well 
 with the solution of corrosive subli- 
 mate. The board should he left in. 
 Wire can be bent and placed in to an- 
 swer the same purpose. 
 
 PEA-FOWL. 
 
 In dressing a pea-fowl, where the 
 wings and tail have to be spread, extra 
 wires have to be put in. The wires 
 59
 
 for the winofs are fastened on to the 
 body l)o:ir.l, as when used for the fore 
 leirs of animals. Then, for the tail 
 support, take a wire about five feet 
 long and bend it in a hoop shape, leav- 
 ing enough of the ends to extend into 
 and fasten on the body board. This 
 must ])e [)ut on the board before put- 
 ting it in the body. Dress the bird as 
 others, letting the hoop or tail support 
 extend out under the tail. After it is 
 all stuffed and set on the board, bend 
 the tail support up back of tail, and 
 fasten the feathers of the tail to it by 
 trN'ing them, one at a time, with a heavy 
 thread, in such a way that when all are 
 fastened to the wire they will stand as 
 when the bird Avas strutting. Arrange 
 the wings and body to suit and let dry. 
 
 DKESSINO BIRDS WITH WINGS SPREAD. 
 
 To dress a bird with wings spread, 
 either flying or sitting, it will be neces- 
 sary to put in wing wires to hold the 
 00
 
 wings out. The easiest way is to use the 
 wire and board frame, using the in'ont 
 leg wires as used in animals, for the 
 wings. See Figs. 7 and 8, board and 
 body frame. 
 
 In dressing a bird this way, after 
 skinning and wiring, as directed for 
 bird, using frames 9 and 10, put in the 
 wing wires and fasten them to body 
 board, as directed for forelegs of ani- 
 mals. 
 
 If wishing to represent the bird as 
 flying, take four cords and fasten them 
 to the back of the bird in a way that 
 will balance it ; tie them together a few 
 inches above the back and extend one 
 cord longer than the others. It can 
 now be hung from the ceiling by the 
 cord; this will let the specimen turn 
 about and present a fine appearance. 
 The feet should be placed in as hear a 
 natural position as possible as when 
 flying. In all large footed birds use 
 plenty of the solution of corrosive sub- 
 61
 
 liinate or turpentine. The carbolic acid 
 and Avater mixture is also used, and is 
 good. 
 
 TO CLEAN FEATHERS. 
 
 As a test case take a bird after kill- 
 ing and smear it all over with blood, 
 let it lie until dry. Then put it in a 
 ])a'sin, and give it a good washing with 
 soa}) and water, then rinse it clean. 
 Now take a dry cloth and wii)e it until 
 almost dry. Then sprinkle it with dry 
 l^laster of paris and shake it out before 
 it has time to set. Eepeat this powder- 
 ing and shaking until it is perfectly 
 dry, and the feathers will look bright 
 and nice. Try it. 
 
 PRESERVATION OF BUGS, ETC. 
 
 Take a large moth fly or miller full 
 of eggs. Make an incision on the under 
 side of body and take out all the eggs 
 and entrails. Now put in some of the 
 preserving fluid and fill the cavity with 
 62
 
 cotton and sew it ap. Then run a pin 
 down through the body and pin it to a 
 board. Arrange its feet, moisten its 
 body with the preserving fluid and the 
 job is complete. Butterflies and small 
 bugs need only the preparation over 
 the body. Heavy bugs can be placed 
 in a cup and the preparation poured 
 over them. Let them lie in it a few 
 hours and pin on board as directed in 
 moth flies. When dry place in a glass 
 case. 
 
 ARTICLE II. 
 
 OF SKENNISG ANIMALS. 
 
 As soon as an anmal is killed, take 
 cotton and stuff in the wounds, nostrils 
 and mouth, as directed in Article I. for 
 birds; then let it cool before commenc- 
 ing to skin. In skinning a specimen 
 be very careful about cutting holes in 
 the skin, and also not to stretch it by 
 63
 
 pullino: on it while skinning. All being 
 ready, lay the specimen on its back, 
 make an incision from the breast-bone 
 back to the center between the hind 
 legs, being careful not to cut too deep 
 over the abdomen. Divide the skin 
 right and left, putting cotton or paper 
 on the body as the skin is removed, cr 
 sprinkle Avith corn meal, as directed for 
 birds in Article I, to prevent the fatty 
 matter from soiling the hair. When 
 you come to the hind legs, pull the skin 
 down over the thigh joint, and unjoint 
 it, cut the leg off and skin down to the 
 knee joint and unjoint there, taking out 
 all the flesh down to the foot, then 
 treat the other hind leg the same way. 
 Now skin down over the rump and 
 bp.ck to the tail. The tail is hard to 
 skin. Take a forked stick, and after 
 pressing the skin as far down on the 
 tail-bone as possible, holding the bone 
 as tight in the fork as you can, pull 
 downward and the bone will slip out.
 
 If the animal is not too large it should 
 be swung up with a rope or cord tied 
 around the body just in front of the 
 hind legs, or by attaching a hook to the 
 rope which fastens into the flesh. Ee- 
 move the skin down to the forelegs, 
 and un joint them at the body, and skin 
 out in the same manner as directed for 
 the hind legs, un jointing at the knees. 
 Now skin the neck and head, and when 
 you come to the ears cut them close to 
 the skull; fine specimens are often 
 spoiled by cutting them too far out 
 from the skull. We next <;ome to the 
 eyes. Be careful not to cut the eyelids. 
 It is better to cut close to the skull and 
 trim afterwards than to risk spoiling 
 them. Remove the skin. Un joint the 
 neck close to the skull, enlarge the 
 opening at the base of brain and remove 
 all the brains. Take out the eyes and 
 tongue and remove all flesh from the 
 skull. 
 
 This completes the skinning, except 
 65
 
 when the animal has horns. In that 
 case, proceed as above until you come 
 to the neck. Skin as far forward as 
 you can and unjoint the neck at skull. 
 Then cut across from one horn to 
 the other and loosen the skin around 
 the horns. Then make another cut 
 from between the horns backwards 
 along the neck far enough to make the 
 opening large enough to take the skull 
 out; skin out the skull and the skinning 
 is completed. The flesh must now be 
 cleaned from the skull by boiling until 
 tender, then scraping it, or simply by 
 cutting and scraping it. 
 
 Take out the Ijrains, eyes, etc., we 
 are now ready to anoint the whole 
 inside of skin, skull, etc., Avith the 
 preserving powder Put in the frame 
 and stuff the body if ready; if not, the 
 ears, nose, feet and lips must be w^ell 
 wet with the preserving fluid and laid 
 away in a cool, dry place. 
 
 66
 
 STUFFING AND MOUNTING ANIMALS. 
 
 yrX..^ After the skin is pre- 
 
 ^, ^^\ Jl pared, we Avill begin by 
 ^''preparing the skull. 
 After cleaning as direc- 
 ted anoint it with the 
 preserving powder, then 
 put in suitable eyes, as 
 directed in birds. Now 
 if the leg bones are 
 large enough to take in 
 
 the 
 
 leg 
 
 wires. 
 
 drill 
 
 holes through the ends large enough to 
 receive said wires. Next divide the 
 skin of ears out to the points and place 
 a piece of tin in them the shape of ear. 
 Now turn the skin of head inside out 
 and sew up the mouth, draw the under 
 lip up under the upper lip and sew it 
 there so as when turned back the 
 stitches will not show. Next stretch 
 the hide on the bench and measure it. 
 In order to make the wire frame as 
 shown and described in wire frames, 
 67
 
 Nos. 4 and 0, make the frame of suit-* 
 al)le malleable wire, and place it in as 
 shown, except the neck wire should be 
 passed out at nostril. First put the 
 skull in place and pass the neck wire 
 through the nose. Then pass the leg 
 wires out through the leg bones, or on 
 the inside of skin where the bone is 
 not large enough to receive it. Now 
 cut the tail wire long enough to reach 
 to end of tail and put it in place. 
 
 Now, if the skin has not been pre- 
 viously prepared with some of the i)re- 
 serving preparations, powder the whole 
 inside with the arsenic and alum. 
 However, the head and legs have to be 
 prepared before putting in the frame. 
 We are now ready for the filling. 
 Stuff cotton in around the leg wires to 
 make the legs proper shape, being care- 
 ful not to get it in too tight. Take 
 some sand and mix some arsenic with 
 it; till the tail with this, placing some 
 cotton at base of tail to hold the sand 
 6S
 
 in. Now stutf the neck iiud l)0(ly with 
 any suitable material, shaping and sew- 
 ing up as you proceed. Examine the 
 head, and where it needs filling out 
 pass the cotton in through nose and 
 ears, and shape it as in life, arranging 
 the ears, nose and mouth. Now pose 
 the specimen as you wish it to re- 
 main, and place it in a cool, dry place 
 to dry. The leg wires should l)e bent 
 so as to allow the foot to rest on board, 
 and when dry the wires should be cut 
 off at bottom of feet, and the project- 
 ing: neck wire at end of nose should 
 also be cut off. Anoint the feet, nose 
 and ears with the preserving fluid once 
 a day for a few days. The wood and 
 wire frame is used in heavy animals, 
 the wood simply taking the place of the 
 wire along the back. By examining 
 the cuts it is easy to see how they are 
 to be used. 
 
 AYishing to stand animals, such as 
 squirrels, groundhogs, etc., on the 
 69
 
 hind legs, they have to remain on a 
 block or perch; so procure a suita))le 
 block or perch, and varnish it before 
 putting the specimen on. Animals and 
 birds can l)e stuffed with hay, or any- 
 thing that you can get into them in 
 good shape. I often mow fine blue- 
 grass and dry it carefully, and find it 
 makes splendid stuffing, especially for 
 the bodies of animals and large birds. 
 Excelsior also makes a good filling. 
 
 ON MOUNTING DEER HEADS. 
 
 In mounting a deer's head to look 
 life-like (having horns on), proceed to 
 skin, anoint with the [)reserving pow- 
 der, build up the nose with plaster 
 of paris, put in the e^^es, sew up the 
 mouth and neck, for which see direc- 
 tions in another article. Now take a 
 2x4-inch piece of pine for a neck sup- 
 port. Fit the end of it in the brain 
 pit with plaster of paris. When the 
 plaster has hardened sew up the mouth 
 70
 
 as directed in cat. Draw the skin up 
 over the skull and sew the skin to- 
 gether, drawing it close around the 
 horns. The-skin being opened on l)ack 
 of neck, sew it up to within six inches 
 of back end. Now make a board to tit 
 in back end of neck skin, and fasten it 
 to the neck support in such a way as to 
 hold the head on wall as desired. Tack 
 the skin around the ])oard, being care- 
 ful not to draw the hair down. Stuil' 
 the neck and finish sewing up. Cut the 
 skin off at back of board. Arrange 
 the whole head as directed in the cat 
 and set away to dry. See that the ears 
 and eyes are all right, and use plenty 
 of the preserving fluid. When the 
 head is completed make a suitable shield 
 to place on back end of the neck; this 
 should be of a neat pattern and nicely 
 polished. Fasten this on to neck board 
 with screws, then on the wall, also Avith 
 screws, which should be passed through 
 the shield, under edge of hair, to con- 
 ceal the heads of screws. 
 71
 
 ARTICLE III. 
 
 A SIMPLE METHOD OF SKINNING, STUF- 
 FING AND PRESERVING FISH. 
 
 FISH DRESSING. 
 
 J^oX 
 
 D 
 
 n 
 
 
 l' 
 
 _>? ._ 
 
 v" 
 
 rvsL 
 
 L^ram 
 
 B^^^^ 
 
 ^^ 
 
 ^^^^ 
 
 Take a scale fish, say one that weiofhs 
 two pounds, more or less, and if a fish 
 on which the scales are tight, you can 
 skin and dress it without losing any of 
 the scales; but if a loose scaled fish, it 
 will be better to protect them as fol- 
 lows: Take some tissue paper and press 
 it gently on one side of the fish, then 
 72
 
 turn it over and treat the other side in 
 the same manner. The natural glutin- 
 ous matter which covers the scales Avill 
 be sufficient to make it adhere firmly. 
 Without this precaution the skin could 
 not be removed from some fish without 
 losing the scales, which would ruin the 
 specimen. When these papers dry, lay 
 the fish on its back, take a pair of scis- 
 sors and open the skin down the center 
 of the belly, beginning close up the 
 gills and running clear back to the end 
 of the body. 
 
 The skin should now be taken off 
 with great care, using a smooth-edged 
 knife for skinning, and a pair of scis- 
 sors to clip the fins and other fine 
 bones Avith. After the body has been 
 skinned, take out the gills, tongue and 
 eyes. 
 
 It is now ready for the preserving 
 powder, which should be spread or 
 dusted over the inside of the skin, be- 
 ing careful to reach all parts around 
 T3
 
 the gills, in the mouth, eye sockets, 
 etc. We now insert the frame E (see 
 cut No. 1 ), which is simply a wire bent 
 as shown in the cut, and sew up, begin- 
 ning at the tail and ending at the gills, 
 leaving the ends EE of frame project- 
 ing, as represented in cut No. 1. We 
 now proceed to fill the body Avith plas- 
 ter paris. Mix up a sufiicient quantity, 
 take a funnel, open the gills or mouth 
 and insert the tube of the funnel therein, 
 and pour in enough plaster paris to fill 
 the body. Handle the body carefully, 
 and shape it properly, while the plaster 
 is setting, being careful to keep the 
 frame EE straight Avith the body. 
 When the plaster has set ( or hardened), 
 bore tAvo holes in a rough board to set 
 the frame rods EE in, which Avill hold 
 the body up off the board. (See cut.) 
 XoAv proceed to stuff the head Avith cot- 
 ton, being careful not to press the gills 
 out of shape, then draAv the mouth to- 
 gether Avith a thread and tie it. Fill 
 74
 
 the eye socket with plaster paris or 
 putty, and set the eye in the proi)er 
 position. 
 
 We are now ready for the fins and tail; 
 if they have become dry, wet them 
 with water and spread them out; then 
 take a needle and thread and draw them 
 up, as shown in cut No. 1. 
 
 To make the frame, take a rough 
 board, say one inch longer than the 
 fish you intend to dress. For a fish a 
 foot long, the board should ])e one inch 
 thick and about three inches wide, and 
 for larger fish in the same proportion, 
 or large enough to support the fish 
 To one end of the l)oard nail a piece 
 of lath a foot long ( see D in cut); on 
 the other end nail a block ( C in cut ), 
 to which nail an upright piece ( B in 
 cut ). Tack the tail to the upright (B) 
 with tacks (P)- Raise the upper fins 
 by drawing a thread through them and 
 tying to upright piece, as shown in cut. 
 Drive two nails in board (A), as shown 
 75
 
 (GH), to wliich fasten threads attached 
 to lower liiis as shown in cut. Set 
 away to dry and when thorou<j:hly dry- 
 wash the whole ))ody, take otf the tissue 
 paper. When the fish gets dry, dampen 
 all the outer surface with corrosive sul)- 
 liniate and set away. Take off the 
 threads and place it on a nice, smooth 
 board and give a light coat of varnish. 
 The specimen is then ready for the 
 cabinet. 
 
 Should you j)refer to stuff the body 
 with cotton instead of using plaster 
 paris, proceed as follows: After skin- 
 ning as directed, make a frame, EE, 
 and take a straight piece of wire long- 
 enough to reach from the point of the 
 nose to the other end of the body, 
 fasten this to the frame, EE, at the 
 upper end, by wrapping them together 
 with a small wire or cord, leaving the 
 frame EE as near the center as pos- 
 sible. Take cotton or tow and wrap 
 the wire that is to run lengthwise of 
 7G
 
 the oody, say one-fourth as lug as the 
 l)ody, then insert it in the skin and 
 proceed to stuff with cotton, being very 
 careful to get the natural shape. When 
 this is completed, proceed to sew up 
 and mount as directed when dressed 
 with plaster paris. The Gar fish makes 
 a fine specimen, by simply filling the 
 skin with dry sand while drying, and 
 let it out when dry. 
 
 ARTICLE IV. 
 
 HUNTING SPECIMENS AND CARE OF SAME. 
 
 In hunting specimens, birds or ani- 
 mals, it is best to take a double-barreled 
 shot-gun, have your cartridges loaded 
 some with fine shot, and some with 
 coarse; keep one barrel loaded with one 
 number and the other barrel wuth the 
 other number, then yon are ready for 
 either small or large game. Have some 
 cotton and old news})aper with you, 
 77
 
 and as soon as you kill a s})eL'imen, sto}) 
 up the shot holes with the cotton, and 
 it is sometimes best to stuff some in the 
 nostrils and mouth. If any blood has 
 run out on the hair, or feathers, as the 
 case ma\' l)e, wipe it off carefull\', then 
 wrap the body in paper and pack it in 
 the game sack, using all care not to 
 bend, break or soil the feathers, for if 
 once soiled it is hard to make the work 
 look well again. 
 
 On removing the birds from the 
 game sack, if there is any blood on the 
 feathers, wash it out Avith clear water, 
 and wipe until nearly dry; then sprin- 
 kle with plaster of paris and shake until 
 dry. In this way the feathers will 
 look smooth and natural ; but if, after 
 washing, you let them dry without 
 stirring, they will present a bad appear- 
 ance. AVhere the Ijlood has remained 
 on the feathers they must be well 
 washed and treated as directed in a test 
 case as given at close of Article I. 
 78
 
 ARTICLE V. 
 WOOD AND WIRE FRAMES. 
 
 The above cuts represent my wood 
 and wire frames for animals and birds. 
 
 Fig. Y is Fig. 8 reversed; Fig. 8, 
 showing the way the neck and tail sup- 
 ports EE are fastened to the body board 
 with blind staples. Fig. 7 shows the 
 way the leg wires AA are fastened in 
 the same manner. In making the 
 frame, measure the animal from shoul- 
 der to hip, and cut the board a little 
 longer than the measure taken; round 
 70
 
 the corners as shown in cuts, and round 
 the upper edges to keep them from cut- 
 ting the skin shouhl it come in contact 
 with it. Now take a wire or rod long 
 enough to reach from the end of the tail 
 to the end of the nose, bend the wire 
 as shown in Fig. 8, and fasten it to the 
 body board with blind staples, unless 
 the specimen l)e a large one, then it 
 will he necessary to put them on with 
 strong wire staples. Next bend the 
 wires for legs as shown in Fig. 12, 
 which should not be fastened to the 
 board until after being placed in the 
 legs of the animal being dressed. They 
 are then bent up as shown in Fig. 13 
 and fastened to the body board with 
 staples to suit. 
 
 The frame for birds is made in the 
 same way, excepting the forelegs, which 
 is used on bird frames only when want- 
 ing to spread the wings. Fig. 11 is a 
 single wire frame, to be l)ent in the 
 manner shown, and to be used in dress- 
 ing small birds. ( See small bird page 5 j. 
 80
 
 ARTICLE VI. 
 
 FOR BIRDS AND ANIMALS. 
 WIRE FRAMES. 
 
 fjg.Z " " Rs.!" " Fig.4 " ^ Fig. 5 9 
 
 The above frames are made as 
 follows: Take a straight wire and turn 
 a loop in the center as shown at B, 
 1. Take another wire about the 
 and bend it as shown 
 in Fig. 2. Now run Fig. 2 wire through 
 the loop B in Fig. 1 down to bend E, 
 fasten them in a vice at the loop B in 
 Fig. 1, and plait the three together as 
 To form the Fig. 4 
 81 
 
 iV6*> 
 
 Fig. 
 
 same length 
 
 shown in Fig. 3
 
 frame, make another U)o\) t\V(j or three 
 inches or further \\\) the neck wire E, 
 bend another wire as Fig. 2, i)ut this 
 through the loop, and plait together as 
 in Fi<r. 3. This forms the frame for 
 animals, as shown in Fig. 4. 
 
 For Figs. and 0, lay three wires 
 together as shown in Fig. 5, put them 
 in a vise and twist or plait together as 
 shown in Fig. 6. This forms three 
 wire frames — Figs. 3, 4 and 6. 
 
 The advantage Fig. 4 frame has over 
 Fig. 6, is that it is easier bent in the 
 center, there only being one wire. 
 
 ARTICLE VII. 
 
 MOLES. 
 
 It is not necessary to give more than 
 one w^ay to dress a mole. An expert 
 can skin, stutf and sew up a mole in 
 ten minutes in the following manner: 
 
 After killing a mole, let it cool ; then 
 82
 
 make an incision alono^ the abdomen, 
 commencino' at the tail and runnin«: 
 forward two inches, or about to the 
 center of the body. Skin out the hind 
 legs, bone and flesh, down to the foot 
 and un joint. Press the skin back to 
 the tail and unjoint it close to the 
 body. Pull the skin off the body, 
 taking care of front feet, not to pull 
 them loose from the skin; unjoint them, 
 or break the arm bone close to the foot ; 
 skin on down to mouth and cut the body 
 loose, leaving only the jaw bones in the 
 skin. Spread on the whole skin all the 
 preserving powder that will stick to it, 
 and turn the skin back inside out. 
 Turn the hind legs and proceed to fill 
 the body with cotton, using a wire to 
 stuff the cotton in with, as in all other 
 animals, being careful not to stretch 
 the skin, and also not to get the cotton 
 knotted up. After the body is filled 
 sew it up and place on a board to dry. 
 Place the feet in position, and wet 
 83
 
 thciii and the tail and nose with the 
 solution of corrosive sul)liniate. 
 
 Other small animals, such as rats, 
 mice, ground squirrels, gophers, etc. , 
 can be dressed in the same manner. 
 After stuffing smooth the hair and 
 shape the body before laying away. 
 
 ARTICLE VIII. 
 
 MODE OF DRESSrVG AND FRESERVINU 
 TURTLES. 
 
 A good sized turtle may be thor- 
 oughly preserved without the tedious 
 process of luijointing, skinning, dig- 
 ging out the flesh, sewing up, etc., l)y 
 observing the following directions: 
 
 Take a snapping, or any other hard 
 shell turtle, say one that measures ten 
 inches across the back, or smaller, 
 down to the smallest. 
 
 The first thing to be done is to kill 
 it, which is the hardest part of the op- 
 84
 
 eration, as it clinirs to life tenaciously, 
 and large ones are very strong and hard 
 to manage. One Avay is to get it to 
 open its mouth, and catch it by the un- 
 der jaw with a pair of strong pliers, 
 hold its mouth open and make it swal- 
 low a quantity of the solution of corro- 
 sive sublimate ; this being a deadly 
 poison, it will soon kill it. 
 
 Another way is to hold its head as 
 far out as you can pull it, and stick it 
 as close to the under shell as you can, 
 running the blade well back into the 
 body. It takes some time for it to 
 die after being stuck. 
 
 And still another way is to open its 
 mouth and stick a knife blade up 
 throuofh the roof of the mouth into the 
 brain. 
 
 I prefer the poisoning, as it seems 
 to die easier and quicker, and it does 
 not disfigure it. As soon as it dies, lay 
 it on its back, and make an opening in 
 the skin, under one of the back legs, 
 85
 
 Isirgo (^rioiiii^li 1,0 tiiUo out nil t.lio c.n- 
 Irfiils; now Uiki^ m pnir of [)liors or 51 
 liook (iiukIc- I'of llic purpose); pull out, 
 ill I tli(5 (Miti'ailH, livc.r, liwirt, ^)U^. If 
 tli(5 Hpociriicn is n large one, pour in 
 son)(^ vv.'i.tor and rinso out thorouf^hly, 
 tJicn put in ,'i, lot of the. preserving 
 po\V(l('-r, being (-Mrful to g(5t it well dis- 
 tributed tlirouirh tli(^ body. TlK^n tak(5 
 some cotton nnd <lust, it well with the 
 |)reserving ])()vvder, aiid lill up the, in- 
 side, j)ressing the eotton in tight, filling 
 the body full and sew up. Now open 
 the mouth :ind pour some of the solu- 
 tion of e<uM-osiv(5 sublimaU^ <lown 
 its thi'o.'it, and ])ress sonn? eott.on 
 sprinkle(| with the powd<M- down its 
 thi-oat, being eareful not to stretch the 
 neek out of i)roportion. Remove the 
 eyes and insert the a,rtifi(;ial eyes in 
 tlK'ir stead; lill the mouth with eotton 
 and elos(^ it,, ('ut a hole- in the botiom 
 of each foot, and probe th(^ h^gs with a 
 knifes oi- the blunt <'nd of a, winv, j)oui- 
 86
 
 in some of the solution of corrosive 
 sublimate, or work in enough of tiie 
 powder to preserve the flesh; if the tail 
 is a large one, it should ho treated in 
 the same way, and all sewed up. Now 
 set it on a })oard and tack the feet to 
 the hoard in as near the way it would 
 hold theui while walking as you can. 
 Pull the neck out a very little, and put 
 a little block or a small roll of cotton 
 under it to hold it up in j)osition while 
 drying. Before })utting it on the dry- 
 ing board, take a small j)aint l)rusli, 
 l)our out some of the solution of corro- 
 sive sublimate in a dish and give the 
 whole outer surface a thorough wet- 
 ting. This should be repeated once a 
 day for several days. This com})letes 
 the dressing. After the si)ecimen is 
 dry, take it off the board and set in the 
 cabinet. 
 
 Another way: After killing, as di- 
 rected, lay the specimen on its back and 
 unjoint the breast shell from back shell 
 87
 
 with a chisel or heavy knife blade; 
 open the skin from the front part of 
 the foreleg back and around to front 
 of the other foreleg, cutting under the 
 legs. Skin out all the flesh and bones 
 of the legs and un joint them at the foot, 
 skin out the tail, then unjoint the neck 
 bone from backbone, and skin it out 
 and unjoint at the back of the skull. 
 Take the flesh from Ijack and breast 
 shells, then anoint all parts with the 
 l)reserving powder. Take a frame as 
 Fig. 8, in article V, of the wire and 
 wood frame, and put in legs, neck and 
 tail, as directed in animals, letting the 
 neck wire pass out through the mouth 
 or nostril. Stuff the legs, neck and 
 tail with cotton or tow, and se^v up the 
 sides, leaving an opening to stuff the 
 body; fill the body, then finish sewing 
 up. In stuffing the legs, neck and tail 
 be careful to keep the wires in the cen- 
 ter of each. Open the mouth and take 
 out the eyes from inside and put in the 
 88
 
 glass eyes; put some cotton ])ack of 
 them to hold them in place while dry- 
 ing. Close the mouth, and wet the 
 Avhole body with the solution of cor- 
 rosive sublimate. This should be done 
 once a day for several days. Place the 
 specimen on a board to dry. For po- 
 sition, copy after nature as near as pos- 
 sible. After the skin is dry a coat of 
 varnish adds much to its appearance. 
 
 ARTICLE IX. 
 
 KILLING AND DRESSING SNAKES. 
 
 To kill a snake without ])ruising or 
 breaking the skin is a difficult under- 
 taking, for, as a general thing, we are 
 not looking for snakes, therefore we 
 are not prepared to capture one. 
 
 When Ave do run across them, we 
 
 generally kill them with the first thing 
 
 we get hold^of. If the snake is not 
 
 too large, strike it across the back 
 
 89
 
 with a small stick. This disables him, 
 and }'ou now have time to prepare to 
 finish him. Watch your chance and 
 when the opportunity presents itself, 
 tap it on the head a few times, and you 
 can soon kill it without ])ruisinii\ 
 AVhen it is dead, open its mouth and 
 cut the tongue and fangs out, then un- 
 joint the backbone from the skull and 
 skin back on the body an inch or two, 
 turning the skin inside out. Tie a cord 
 to the skinned part of the body and 
 l)uli on this with your right hand, 
 while with your left hand you i)ull the 
 skin oil' from the body, Avhich is easily 
 done if the snake is not too large in the 
 center of the l)ody; in that case it must 
 })e opened in the largest part of the 
 body. Make the opening on under 
 side of body, lengthwise of the snake, 
 and long enough to allow you to re- 
 move the skin all around the body, 
 then cut the body in two. Skin out 
 both ends, unjointing the l)ody close to 
 90
 
 the skull, turn the skin right side out 
 and sew up the opening, taking short 
 stitches. Xow mix some plaster paris 
 and water, leaving it thin enough to 
 run; place a funnel in the mouth and 
 pour the plaster in until the body is 
 full. Lay the snake on a level board 
 and coil it before the plaster gets dry, 
 placing the head in the position in 
 which you want it to remain. Take 
 out the eyes and put in the glass ones; 
 then wet the whole skin Avith the solu- 
 tion of corrosive sublimate. This 
 should be repeated once a day for three 
 or four days. 
 
 Another method is to skin and sew 
 up as directed, then take a long Avire 
 and stuff the body with cotton or tow, 
 being careful to get the stuffing in 
 smooth, so that no lumps will show on 
 the outside. 
 
 Another way is to fill the ])ody with 
 sand, and when the skin has thor- 
 oughly dried, make a hole in the under 
 91
 
 part of the body and let the sand run out. 
 
 In either of the aljove modes the 
 snake should be coiled as soon as 
 stuffed in the shape you want it to re- 
 main, and plenty of the solution of cor- 
 rosive sublimate used over the skin. 
 
 Eels, frogs and toads are skinned 
 and stuffed in the same manner as the 
 snake, no frames being used. 
 
 ARTICLE X. 
 
 DRESSING ALLIGATORS. 
 
 Take an alligator, say five feet long, 
 make an incision the full length of the 
 body, on the under side, and skin oat 
 all the flesh and bones, as recommended 
 in skinning animals. Scrape off all the 
 fat or flesh that may be left on the 
 inside of the skin, and give it a thor- 
 ough coat of the preserving powder. 
 Now proceed to stuff* it without using 
 any frame. First stuff* the legs with cot- 
 ton or tow, pressing it in very tight — 
 92
 
 their skin ])eing very tough, there is no 
 danger of stretching it. Sew the neck 
 ui), down to the front legs, and stuff 
 tight; now sew^ up the tail to hind legs 
 and stuff it; then take a piece of pine 
 board, say an inch thick, two inches 
 ^ide, and twelve inches long, place this 
 inside of the skin, draw the edges to- 
 gether over it, and tack both edges 
 close together on the board, till the 
 body up to the end of this board, and 
 put in another board in the same way, 
 and again stuff; when the full length of 
 the opening is closed up in this way, 
 before putting in the last section, have 
 the body thoroughly stuffed and i)ut 
 the section in afterward. 
 
 The advantage in putting in the board 
 is this: It is almost impossible to sew 
 the skin, and as it is to lay flat, it is 
 much easier to use the boards; they 
 could also be used in the neck and tail, 
 if you w4sh to lay them straight with 
 the body. Lay the specimen on a flat 
 93
 
 board, and })lace his feet and tail a.s 
 you wish to have them. The eyes 
 should now be removed, some of the 
 solution of corrosive sublimate put in 
 the sockets, then put the glass eyes in 
 Avith putty or plaster paris. Close 
 the mouth and set a Ijlock under the jaw 
 to hold it up while drying. Give the 
 body a thorough wetting with spirits of 
 turpentine, repeating it once a day for 
 three or four days. After the skin 
 becomes well dried give it one or two 
 coats of varnish and you have a fine 
 specimen. 
 
 ARTICLE XL 
 
 DESCRIPTION OF FOOT-STOOL. 
 
 _f_^» Letter (A) 
 
 J^^'f ^ ^ ,- J represents the 
 
 (iS^:S^" .^ '^-;jfci]" covering, ( B ) 
 e^i|i ijf! ' f IP' the moss o r ha i r 
 
 / y 1 ' "^ ' ^^^^^^' (^^ ^^^ 
 
 ^^^^ ' IL; ^^^^ bolt which fas- 
 94
 
 tens the horn to tlie stool hrjice, ( D) 
 the tap of said bolt, (E) the wooden 
 base of stool, (F) a small rod or nail set 
 in the plaster paris, (G) a rivet throiiu:!] 
 the horn, (H) head to bolt, (J) plaster 
 paris in the horn. 
 
 DIRECTIONS FOR MAKINCi THE STOOL 
 
 Take three cow horns of <i:ood shape 
 and size; rasp them and sand-paper 
 down, as hereafter directed in Article 
 XII; then, after deciding what height 
 you want the legs, make a frame to 
 saw them off on, as illustrated and 
 directed in Article XII, cut No. 0. 
 After sawing off, drill a hole through 
 in the horn about three-(|uarters of an 
 inch from the large end. This hole 
 should l)e large enough to take in a ten- 
 [)enny nail. Put the nail through and 
 tile it off even with the horn on both 
 sides, and rivet it with a small riveting 
 hammer. Now level u[) the ends of 
 the horns where they were sawed off, 
 95
 
 by taking a coarse piece of sand-paper, 
 and laying it on a level board, rub the 
 ends cf the horn round and round on it 
 until it is perfectly level. Now take 
 the Ijolt C, of size and length to suit the 
 horn, put it down in the horn to see 
 that it will suit; sometimes it has to be 
 bent in the shape of the horn; after 
 fitting it to the horn, leaving about 1^ 
 inches projecting out to go through the 
 wooden l)ase E and leaving room for 
 the tap D. Now mix some plaster paris 
 and water until about as thick as it 
 will run; pour this in the horn until 
 nearly full, ])ut in the bolt, as shown, 
 and while the plaster paris is yet soft, 
 take an eight-penny wire nail and push 
 it down head first in the plaster paris, 
 leaving about half an inch sticking out; 
 this nail and the bolt should both come 
 straight up from the level of the end 
 of the horn. When the plaster is par- 
 tially dry, level up around the bolt and 
 nail at the end. The horn should now 
 96
 
 be polished as directed in Article XII. 
 The next is the wooden base E; have a 
 board turned or cut round, say twelve 
 inches across and one inch thick. This 
 should be made of walnut, or some 
 other hard wood, l)ut when the hard 
 wood can not be procured pine will do. 
 If pine is used it should be painted, or 
 stained and varnished on the under side, 
 and if walnut it should be sand-papered, 
 filled and varnislied. Now strike a 
 circle within about tAvo inches of the 
 outer edge and bore three holes at equal 
 distances apart and set in the bolts; 
 when you get them in the position you 
 want them, press down on them to get 
 the imprint of the nails F, then remove 
 the horns and bore a hole the size of 
 the nails F. Now put the bolts in again 
 and screAv the top on tight. The nail 
 F is to keep the horns from turning 
 around and getting out of place. See 
 that the butt of horn fits tight to the 
 wooden base E. 
 
 97
 
 UPHOLSTEKIXi FOOT-STOOL. 
 
 Go to ii saddler and get either curied 
 hair, deer hair, or moss sufficient for a 
 heavy pad; lay it on the floor and beat 
 all the dirt out of it, then pick it all 
 apart to get all the matted lumps out, 
 lay it on the stool toj) and pile it up 
 about a foot high while loose, take a 
 piece of muslin or drilling, lay it on 
 top of the moss or hair and draw all 
 the four corners down tight, tacking 
 them about the center of the edge of 
 the wooden Imse E, then draw it nil 
 down and tack in the same manner, 
 drawing very tight, being careful to 
 get it round and even and leaving no 
 wrinkle. In case the moss is not evenly 
 distril)uted, take a long awl and run it 
 through the covering and carefully dis- 
 tribute it. 
 
 Next in order is the outside cover- 
 ing, which should be a fine piece of silk 
 plush or velvet. Get a piece large 
 enough to work some fine flower or 
 98
 
 motto in the center, then put it on in 
 the same manner as the first, only tack- 
 ing it down near the lower edge of the 
 wooden base E; by being careful you 
 can get it on without wrinkling it. 
 The tacks should be small and very 
 close together. Put a piece of braid 
 around the edge and tack it on with up- 
 holstering tacks and the stool is com- 
 pleted. 
 
 SAWING OFF HORNS. 
 
 99
 
 Cut No. <) is to illustrate a frame on 
 which to cut horns to be used for foot- 
 stool legs. Without a frame of this 
 kind it is almost impossible to cut them 
 to set level with stool and floor. In 
 fact, it is more diflicult than it w^ould 
 be for a carpenter to cut molding to 
 fit corners, etc. , w' ithout a mitre box. 
 It is very simple and is made as foUow^s: 
 For a frame large enough to cut four 
 horns, take a fencing board and cut off 
 a })iece from it two feet long. The 
 l)oard is supposed to be a))Out six inches 
 wide and one inch thick. Saw off 
 another i)iece the same length and nail 
 it to the edge, as shown in cut. This 
 we will call the back of frame and the 
 other the bottom. The back then is 
 five inches high, measuring from bot- 
 tom board up. This completes the 
 frame as shown. The horns are now 
 placed on the frame and nails driven 
 around them into the frame to hold 
 them firmly in place. Place the horns 
 100
 
 close together in setting on the frame 
 and pour plaster paris over the points 
 of all, as shown in cut horn A. After 
 the plaster paris has thoroughly hard- 
 ened, saw off another piece of the same 
 board and nail it to front edge of bot- 
 tom board, and proceed to saw off the 
 horns level with the upper edge of back 
 and front boards, as in horn A. Should 
 you want the legs longer or shorter, 
 take wider or narrower boards for back 
 and front of frame. After taking the 
 horns from the frame, proceed to put 
 in the wire through the butt of horn 
 and rivet it; then put in the bolt and 
 nail F ( as directed in a former article ) 
 and fill the horn with plaster paris, as 
 shown in the above cut (C). The horn 
 is now ready, after polishing, to be 
 placed on the stool. It can also be 
 placed on a board and used for a hat 
 hook, or for holding back window cur- 
 tains, etc. 
 
 101
 
 ARTICLE Xir. 
 
 J)M{E( TIONS FOR POLISHING HORNS, 
 HOOFS, ETC. 
 
 Go to a hardware store and buy two 
 good wood rasps, flat on one side and 
 round on the other; then get three 
 grades of emery or sand-paper, say No. 
 1, No. 0, No. 00; then go to a drug store 
 and buy ten cents' worth of sweet oil 
 and ten cents' worth of rotten stone. 
 Get an old felt hat and an old case 
 knife and 3'ou are ready for business. 
 
 Take of either horns or hoofs, several 
 at a time, and put them in an old pot 
 or kettle of ])oiling water, let it boil 
 until they become soft, which usually 
 takes about half an hour; take out one 
 at a time and rasp it until it begins to 
 cool and harden, put it back and take 
 oat another, and keep this up until all 
 are rasped down to the shape you want 
 them. Now take one at a time in the 
 same manner and scrape them until 
 
 102
 
 tney are scraped smooth of all rasp 
 marks, using the case knife for the 
 scraper, the edge of which has Ijeen 
 ground square off like that of a shear 
 blade. Now take the No. 1 sand-paper 
 and sand-paper down, then use the No. 
 0, and finally finish up with the No. 00, 
 rubbing lengthwise of the horn. We 
 are now ready for the finishing touch. 
 Take a piece of felt sufliciently large to 
 rub with, pour some of the sweet oil 
 on it, then dust with the rotten stone, 
 and o^ive the horn a thorouo-h rubbino^, 
 putting more of the rotten stone on oc- 
 casionally, and keep up the rubbing 
 until you get a high polish. Such a 
 polish will remain on for years. 
 
 Another way to polish horns : Fasten 
 them firmly on a bench or to the wall. 
 Take a strip of ticking or felt about 
 three inches wide and three feet long. 
 Wet it in water and sprinkle powdered 
 emery over both sides. Take hold of 
 both ends, place it around the horn and 
 103
 
 draw backwards and forw^ards, around 
 and around, until the horn presents a 
 smooth surface; then take another strip 
 of the same descri})tion and use in the 
 s:ime manner, except usinof rotten stone 
 instead of the emery. There are dif- 
 ferent grades of the emery, and only 
 the finest is to be used in polishing ; a 
 coarser grade can be used in the same 
 manner it. the place of sand-paper, and 
 is A^erv good. 
 
 COLORINC; HORNS. 
 
 If you wish to give a horn a flesh 
 color, secure a very light colored horn, 
 ras}) and scrape it down very thin, and 
 polish so that the horn is transparent. 
 Get some red paint (with plenty of 
 dryer in it) give the inside of the horn 
 a coat of the paint, and set it away to 
 dry. Before applying the paint, wash 
 the horn out well wdth soap and w^arm 
 water and dry w^ell. The above gives 
 a beautiful flesh color, which will last 
 104
 
 for years, especially when tilled Avith 
 plaster paris. 
 
 TO REMOVE PLASTER PARIS FROM A 
 
 HORN AND TO MAKE THE HORN 
 
 ROUND. 
 
 After the plaster paris has become 
 thoroughly dry it is very hard; there- 
 fore to cut it out with a chisel is very 
 tedious; but it often has to be done. 
 If the inside of the horn is smooth 
 and a little tapering, it is very easy to 
 remove by boiling it until the horn ex- 
 pands or becomes soft ; then tap the 
 horn with a smooth stick or hammer, 
 and the plaster will drop out in a 
 whole piece. If you have put a rivet 
 through the horn before putting in the 
 plaster paris it is more difficult to re- 
 move, as the rivet holds the plaster 
 firmly in the horn. In such a case take 
 a chisel and dig out the plaster paris 
 down to the rivet, then either cut the 
 rivet with the chisel or file it in two 
 105
 
 and take it ont; then proceed as above 
 directed. 
 
 To make the butt of a horn round, 
 |jiit the horn in boiling water; let it re- 
 main ai)ont ten minutes; have a round 
 wooden phig ready, which should ])e 
 wedge shaped; drive this in the horn 
 while hot, and let it cool; afterwards 
 remove the plug, and the horn will re- 
 main round. This makes ({uite a dif- 
 ference in the appearance of the horn 
 where you wish to use it for a hat rack, 
 footstool, etc. 
 
 TO DKESS DEER HOR>'S. 
 
 Make an extra strong lye, using the 
 granulated lye and hot water, say one 
 tahlespoonful of lye to half pint of hot 
 water. Give the whole horn a thor- 
 ough bath in the mixture, and let it set 
 about one hour; then take a stiff brush 
 and give the horns a thorough washing; 
 this cuts off' all the dirt that has accum- 
 ulated in the rough knotty parts. The 
 106
 
 horns should now be put in a barrel of 
 water and let soak a day or two, to 
 take off all the lye, then wash well 
 using a stiff brush. Now take an old 
 hand-saw and cut down through the 
 skull, commencing one inch back of 
 the horns and coming out at the eye 
 sockets, being careful to saw straight 
 through, so that when placed on a 
 board they will set level. Take a two- 
 inch pine block as wide as the skull and 
 three inches longer, round off' the top 
 and bottom ends to suit the shape of 
 the skull, place the horns on the block, 
 holding them there with the hands. 
 Put it up against the wall and if the 
 horns pitch too far forward take down 
 and cutoff from the front of the l)oard, 
 sloping it backwards until the horns 
 hang at a proper pitch. Noav drill 
 about four holes through the skull, and 
 screw the skull fast to the board. Take 
 a dozen or more shingle nails and drive 
 in the front of board an inch or more 
 107
 
 apart, leaving the heads sticking out. 
 These are to hokl the plaster paris, 
 which is put on to level up before put- 
 ting on the covering. After the nails 
 are all in, mix some plaster paris and 
 pour over the skull and around the 
 edges to round it up in shape for the 
 covering. After the plaster paris is 
 partially hardened, smooth it by scrap- 
 ing down the high places, then let it 
 dry. Take a piece of strong unbleached 
 muslin large enough to stretch over the 
 skull and board, tack the muslin on the 
 back part of the skull board, then draw 
 it down between the horns and tack it 
 to the under side of the board at the 
 lower end, drawing very tight; now 
 jommence at the edge of the mus- 
 lin and cut straight in to the inner side 
 of horns, round out a little for the horn, 
 and proceed to draw it all down tight, 
 and tack it on the under side of the 
 block, beinff careful not to make any 
 wrinkles in the covering; trim it off to 
 108
 
 the tacks on the under side. • ( Some 
 prefer to have the muslin wet while 
 putting it on.) We are now ready for 
 the outer covering, which should be 
 plush or velvet, and is put on in the 
 same way as the first covering. It re- 
 quires some skill to make a smooth jol) 
 of the first; yet by going slow, any one 
 should do a fair job. Next make a 
 board to screw on the back of this, 
 which should be made in diamond shape 
 or rounding on both ends, an d ^bout 
 six inches longer and one inch wider 
 than the skull board; this should be 
 made of Avalnut and nicely varnished; 
 after it has thoroughly dried fasten it 
 tight to skull board with screws, coun- 
 ter-sinking their heads. Bore one hole 
 at each end of the base board and 
 counter-sink them; then screw it to the 
 wall. Varnish the rough part of the 
 horns and let them dry; then take some 
 chenille or tinsel cord to trim around 
 the butt of the horns and around the 
 109
 
 Imck i)art or edge of the skull l^oard. 
 Tack it on with ui)holstering tacks. 
 Cow horns and sheep horns are mounted 
 in the same manner. The sheep horns 
 should l)e cleaned with the lye, as di- 
 rected for the deer horns, but no scrap- 
 ing or polishing is necessary; they look 
 i)etter rough. The cow horns should 
 l)e polished, as directed on page lU:^, 
 l)efore they are put on the hoard. No 
 polished horn should be varnished. 
 
 POLISHIXi HOOFS OF YARIOLS KL\J)S. 
 
 The cow hoof takes a high })olish, 
 and a number of useful articles can be 
 made of them— which are not only 
 useful, but quite a novelty. Take a 
 })air of cow hoofs, which are neither 
 bruised nor scaled, rasp them down in 
 good shape, then scrape, sand-paper 
 and polish the same as directed in pol- 
 ishing horns. The hoofs should be 
 good matches, and both from the same 
 110
 
 foot. Bore or drill two holes in one 
 of them on the inner side, about one- 
 half inch apart, and place the two 
 hoofs side by side on a level board, 
 seeing that the toes are even with each 
 other. Take a piece of wire or an awl 
 and put through the holes in the hoof 
 and mark the place to make the holes 
 on the other, so that when they are 
 wired together they will set even with 
 each other. Drill small holes around 
 the tops, say a quarter of an inch apart; 
 take a piece of malleable wire of suf- 
 ficient size and draw it through the 
 holes in the sides of the hoofs, drawing 
 them firmly together, and twist the 
 ends of the wire together; this Avill 
 hold them in place. Bind the upper 
 edge of hoofs with piece of cloth, sew- 
 ing through the holes drilled for that 
 purpose. Stuff each hoof with tow or 
 moss, and stuff with any goods to suit 
 your fancy, silk plush, velvet, etc. 
 Put the filling in tight and let it come 
 111
 
 above the level of hoof to make the 
 cover rounding, then drawn down tight. 
 Draw the edges of the cover down and 
 sew them with a strong thread to the 
 binding. Take a piece of fancy cord 
 or ribbon and tack it around the edge 
 of the cover and you have a fancy pin 
 cushion. To make a match safe or 
 tooth-pick case, polish the hoofs, wire 
 together, and drill the holes around the 
 edge as before; then take some glue 
 and spread it well over the inside of 
 each hoof; cut some red flannel to tit 
 the inside and press it in with your fin- 
 gers until it is all smooth; cut it otf at 
 the edge of to}) of hoof, and bind the 
 edges with ribbon. This makes a very 
 pretty match safe or tooth-pick case. 
 All hoofs are polished in the same man- 
 ner. Should the hoofs not set level 
 after they are put together, take a 
 coarse piece of sand-paper and tack or 
 hold it on a level board, set the bottom 
 of the hoofs on it and rub round and 
 112
 
 round until they do set level. It 
 would be best to attend to this as soon 
 as they are fastened together. 
 
 ARTICLE XIII. 
 
 TIPS FOR HORNS, ETC. 
 
 A nickel-plated acorn, as 
 shown in the accompanying 
 Lj^^cut, makes a very fine finish 
 ^^ > on the point of a polished 
 horn. B is a wire stem at- 
 tached to the acorn, and is 
 intended for fastening it to the horn. 
 They are made as follows: If made of 
 metal, they are cast on the stem and 
 then turned. If brass, they are pol- 
 ished ; but if iron, turned and then 
 bronzed, painted or nickel-plated. If 
 made of horn, first put in the stem and 
 then turn and polish thena. To put 
 them on the horn, saw otf the point of 
 113
 
 the horn, drill a hole in the end of 
 same, the size of the stem, put a little 
 glue in the hole and drive the stem in 
 tight. The horn should be polished 
 before putting the knob on. Kound 
 knobs are also very nice, put on in the 
 same way. This way of putting them 
 on is much better and easier than the 
 old way of screwing them on. 
 
 ARTICLE XIV. 
 
 RECEIPTS FOR VARIOUS PREPARATIONS 
 
 USED IN THE PRESERVATION AND 
 
 SETTIN(i UP OF ANIMALS, 
 
 FOWLS, ETC. 
 
 SOLUTION OF CORROSIVE SUBLIMATE. 
 
 Corrosive sublimate - 1 teas})oonful 
 Alcohol ------ ^ pint 
 
 Mix and let stand twelve hours, and 
 it is ready for use. 
 
 114
 
 ARSENICAL SOAP. 
 
 Arsenic in powder - - - 3 pounds 
 
 Salts of tartar 1 pound 
 
 Camphor gum - - - - 6 ounces 
 Cocoanut oil soap - - 1^ pounds 
 Powdered lime - - - - 5 ounces 
 
 Cut the soap up fine and put it in a 
 kettle containing one gallon of soft 
 water and boil until the soap is well 
 dissolved, then add the lime, salts of 
 tartar and arsenic, stirring the mixture 
 thoroughly; put the gum camphor in a 
 half pint of alcohol and place in a mor- 
 tar and crush it ; take the kettle off the 
 fire and add the camphor; mix well, and 
 when partly cooled put it in fruit jars 
 and seal up. It is now ready for use, 
 and great care should be taken in using 
 it, as it is a deadly poison. 
 
 PRESERVING POWDER 
 
 Arsenic in powder - - - 2 pounds 
 Alum in powder _ _ _ _ l pound 
 
 Mix thoroughly and keep in a dry 
 place. This is also very poisonous. 
 115
 
 CARBOLIC ACID. 
 
 The following solution of carl)olic 
 acid and water 1 have found very good 
 in preserving skins, bugs etc. : 
 
 Carbolic acid ----- ^ ounce 
 Soft water 2 quarts 
 
 Turpentine is also a good preserva- 
 tive, and is sometimes used in place of 
 corrosive sublimate. 
 
 TH1>(;S WOKTH REMEMBERING. 
 
 Never attempt to dress a bird when 
 its feathers are In'oken or badly blood 
 stained, unless it is a rare specimen. 
 
 Never dress a bird after the feathers 
 begin to slip. 
 
 Never dress an animal after the hair 
 begins to slip. 
 
 Never let a hide get dry before ap- 
 plying the preserving powder. 
 
 Never stretch a hide out of sliape 
 while taking it oflf. 
 
 Never forget to sto}) all wounds and 
 116
 
 the month and nostrils with cotton 'is 
 soon as you kill the s})eeinien. 
 
 Never let a s})ecimen aet dry after 
 stuffing it before shaping and setting it 
 up. 
 
 Never inhale the preserving powder, 
 or get it in cuts or sores, for it is a 
 deadly poison. 
 
 Never l^e afraid of putting too much 
 of the preserving powder on a hide. 
 
 Never be afraid of charging a good 
 price for a well dressed specimen. 
 
 Always use the best material, such 
 as eyes, tow, cotton, wire, etc. 
 
 Always try to improve on each speci- 
 men you dress that you may excel 
 others in the art 
 
 TANNING HIDES WITH HAIR ON. 
 
 Very little has ever been written in 
 regard to tanning skins with the hair 
 on. Indeed we may say there is scarcely 
 any literature on the subject, and this 
 article must necessarily be very brief. 
 117
 
 Tanning with the hair on is always 
 somewhat difficult, but of course, some 
 hides are more difficult to tan than 
 others. As an average, I will here give 
 directions for tanninor a door hide. The 
 same process obtains in the tanning of 
 other hides. The only difference being 
 in the length of time required which 
 must be regulated to suit each case. 
 We will start with the skin on the 
 dog's back, and hence the first opera- 
 tion will be the skinning process. To 
 begin, make an incision from middle 
 of under lip l)ack along the median line 
 to the tip of the tail. Then make an 
 incision from the middle of each foot 
 along the inner side of the leg to the 
 median line, and proceed to skin, being 
 careful not to cut holes in the hide, and 
 at the same time to leave no flesh stick- 
 ing to the skin. 
 
 When skinning the head cut the 
 gristle of the ear back close to the 
 skull and separate the skin as near out 
 118
 
 to the point of the ear as possible. 
 Unless this skin is separated, it is diffi- 
 cult to tan the ears without loosing the 
 hair, especially in warm weather. Be 
 very careful not to cut the eyelids; 
 skin on over the nose and cut loose 
 from the body. 
 
 Then go over the pelt and remove 
 every particle of flesh Avhich may have 
 been left on the skin, and be especially 
 careful around the nose and mouth. 
 All the bones of the feet should be 
 removed except the bones of the toes= 
 Next bathe the nose, ears, feet and 
 tail with the preserving fluids used in 
 taxidermy. If you have none of the 
 fluid, use plenty of arsenic and alum, 
 and then stretch the hide on a floor 
 with the hair side down and tack all 
 the parts so that they will be stretched 
 perfectly smooth, after which salt all 
 over thoroughly. Let it remain until 
 perfectly dry, and then take a piece of 
 coarse sand-paper and rul) it down 
 119
 
 smooth and <jlear of any remaining 
 vestige of fleshy particles. 
 
 Or instead of the preceding modus 
 operandi, remove the pelt from the 
 floor when about dry, and lay it on a 
 ileshing Ijeam and with a fleshing knife 
 scrape off all remaining flesh and 
 grease. Should there be grease that 
 cannot })e removed with fleshing knife, 
 tack hide ])ack on the floor and spread 
 alxjut three gallons of sawdust ov^er it 
 and rub thoroughly. Clean the skin 
 and cover again with salt, and when 
 dry sand-paper as directed above. Next 
 place in Avarm water to soften it, and 
 Avhen soft wash it thoroughly with 
 soap. Then rinse and wring it, and put 
 it into the following liquid which 
 should be contained in a wooden vessel. 
 The liquid consists of one gallon of 
 soft warm w^ater, one-half ounce of 
 commercial sulphuric acid, and one- 
 third of a pound of corn starch. After 
 compounding, this liquid should be 
 120
 
 stirred about ten minutes before the 
 skin is introduced. When the pelt is 
 put in, it should be pressed well under, 
 and stirred with a wooden paddle for 
 thirty minutes or until it begins to 
 thicken and turn a dark reddish color. 
 Then take it out and hang it up, and let 
 it drain about thirty minutes, after 
 which put it into a weak lye made 
 either from wood ashes or from con- 
 centrated lye which may be bought in 
 any grocery store; strain the liquid be- 
 fore putting the hide in. Stir the hide 
 in this lye about thirty minutes again, 
 or until you are satisfied the lye has 
 had time to neutralize the acid from 
 the preceding bath. The object of this 
 latter bath is to counteract the acid elf ect 
 of the former. Take out of the lye and 
 hang up and let it drain al)(:ut one 
 hour, and then give it a thorough wash- 
 ing on a wash-board with plenty of 
 soap and warm Avater. Rinse perfectly 
 clean and again hang up to drain. 
 121
 
 WheQ the hair is nearly dry, tack it 
 again on the floor taking care to stretch 
 it into proper shape. When partly dry 
 take it up and rub and pull it until 
 soft, which completes the tanning. We 
 are then ready to place the skull in 
 position. After skinning the head, 
 remove the Ijrains and eyeballs, and 
 then boil the skull until all the flesh 
 can be scraped fiom the bones. The 
 skull being ready, fill the eye sockets 
 with plaster par is made with water in- 
 to the consistency of a plaster, and then 
 set in a pair of suitable glass eyes, be- 
 ing careful to so adjust them as to give 
 them the appearance of natural eyes. 
 
 The under jaw should be wired to 
 the upper, or bound securely to it by a 
 small cord or wire. Saw the skull and 
 back corners of under jaw off, so that 
 when tho sawed surface is fastened 
 down flat on a board, the nose will be 
 sjmewhat elevated from the floor, 
 while the back part of the skull will 
 122
 
 lie on the floor. Fasten the skull to 
 the small boards with wire,, and the:i 
 stretch the skin over it. Soak only the 
 skin of the head in water, and sew up 
 the mouth by drawing the lower lips 
 up under the upper in the natural way. 
 The skin should be inside out Y>'hile the 
 lips are being sewed. If in the process 
 of skinning you have cut the skin clear 
 out through the lip, it mu-;t be sewed 
 together far enough to inclose the skull 
 and the under board, which should not 
 extend more than two inches back of 
 the skull. Build out the end of the 
 nose with plaster paris to make it nat- 
 ural shape and draw the skin over the 
 skull. Be very careful to have the 
 nose and eyes all right. Tack the skin 
 to the under side of the board which 
 should in width correspond to the thick- 
 ness of the dog's neck. The edges of 
 the neck skin should be sutured to- 
 gether under the board and tacked to 
 it. Cut the skin, which is lapped un- 
 123
 
 (ler, follow i HIT the line of hack on^ of 
 hoard out to the side ed^es of the 
 hoard. Turn this tia}) out and sew the- 
 underlyiniT end to the ui)per skin, or to 
 the skin of hack of neck, and close to 
 the back end of hoard ; this brings the 
 skin on a level of under side of board; 
 now round off the turned out flap so as 
 to conform with the line of the neck 
 add fore legs; the head will now need 
 some stuffing to round it up in })r(;per 
 shape. Take some cotton and put it 
 in through the ears with a wire, plac- 
 ing it where needed to give the hea^l 
 a proper shape; arrange the skin around 
 the eyes, nose and mouth; then let dry 
 before lining. Put a good supply of 
 the alcohol and corrosive sublimate on 
 the ears, nose and lips, as soon as head 
 is dressed. Isow for the lining, pro- 
 cure a sufficient amount of felt to line 
 it, say of a dark green color; then get 
 enough to make a strip one and a half 
 inches wide and long enough to go 
 124
 
 around the edge of hide; this should 
 be an orange color. 
 
 Take this strip and pink one edge of 
 it, then baste the lining on to skin 
 letting the edges of it project about 
 two inches out from edge of hide. 
 Now comb, the hair around the edges of 
 hide back towards the center of same. 
 Then take the pinked strip and lay it 
 on the hair side of skin, the smooth 
 edo^e alono^ the eds^e of the hide and 
 the pinked edge laying back on the 
 hair; then sew the pinked strip, lining 
 and hide tos^ether, runnins^ close to 
 the edge of hide. Now turn the pinked 
 strip out on to the projecting lining 
 and sew another seam around just out 
 side of the hide, thus sewing the lining 
 and the pinked strip together. Now 
 pink the out edge of lining to suit 
 3^our taste; then take some yarn or 
 zephyr and knot the lining and hide 
 together, the same as in knotting a 
 comfort, and the job is complete. 
 125
 
 To make a robe sew a number of 
 hides together and line them, simply 
 binding the edga with a straight strip. 
 
 TO SOFTEN HIDES. 
 
 Where a hide has become hard by 
 getting wet, or fi'om some other cause 
 after tanning, wet it on tlesh side with 
 water and hang up. \Mien partly dry 
 give it a thorough rubl)ing. If that 
 fails to soften it, oil it with Xeatsfoot 
 oil and rub it in well. 
 
 TO CLEAN RL(;S AND FURS. 
 
 When rugs and furs become dirty 
 from use take hardwood sawdust, dam- 
 [)en it and rub well into hide. Shake 
 out and repeat until clean. 
 
 TO KILL MOTHS IN FURS, ETC. 
 
 Sprinkle them well with arsenic 
 
 shaking it well down on hide. Tie up 
 
 and lay away for a few days. Then 
 
 dust all the arsenic out and clean with 
 
 l'2ij
 
 the sawdust. In stiiti'ed l)ir(ls use the 
 arsenic alone, but handle it with care 
 for it is a deadly poison. 
 
 extras. 
 
 A FAMILY LlNmENT, 
 
 Alcohol - - 1 pint 
 
 Gum Camphor - - i ounce 
 Aqua ammonia - - 3 ounces 
 
 Oil of Sassafras - - i ounce 
 
 Laudanum - - - i ounce 
 
 Mix. 
 
 Wishing to use the above for neu- 
 ralgia or rheumatism, add to three 
 ounces of the preparation tt grains 
 menthol (in crystals). 
 127
 
 FIVE DAY CORN OR WART CURE. 
 
 Cannabis - - 5 grains 
 
 Salicylic Acid - 29 grains 
 
 Colodion - - i ounce 
 
 Caster Oil - - 10 drops 
 
 Directions: 
 
 Mix thoroughly, and before apply- 
 ing dampen the corn or wart with 
 turpentine; then apply, being careful 
 not to get the preparation on the sound 
 flesh. Kepeat this every night before 
 going to bed for five successive nights. 
 Now bind a slice of lemon on excrescence, 
 let it remain one hour, and then wash 
 and scape off corn or wart. You may of 
 coiu'se repeat as often as necessary, or 
 until excrescence is entirely removed. 
 
 FURNITURE POLISH. 
 
 Turpentine 
 
 i pint 
 
 Yellow lubricating oil 
 
 -| pi'^^ 
 
 Muriatic acid - 
 
 1 ounce 
 
 Directions: 
 
 
 128 

 
 Mix and let stand two days, and 
 then apply with a sponge after which 
 thoroughly dry with a woolen cloth. 
 
 WHITE CEMENT. 
 
 Best white glue - - f pound 
 
 Soft water - - 2^ pints 
 
 Directions: 
 
 Mix and heat over a slow fire until 
 dissolved; then stir in 4: ounces dry 
 white lead, J pint alcohol, and 1 ounce 
 aqua ammonia. 
 
 129
 
 Barbel's' Itch 2'.i 
 
 Blufk Heads 21 
 
 Bleaching for the Hair :2:J 
 
 Brilliantine 2i) 
 
 Camphor Ice Ki 
 
 Enorraving Fluid .... r.'() 
 
 Face Whitenings 23- H2 
 
 Four Face and Hand Creams 12- 15 
 
 Glass Hone HU 
 
 HairDyes 9-10 
 
 Hair Oils and Pomades 25-26 
 
 Menthol Salve 17 
 
 Mugs, Brushes and Soap 3! 
 
 Quinine Hair Tonics and Sea Foam . . 11- "<» 
 
 Shampoos.* 17- 1'.' 
 
 Shower-Bath and Shampoo Can r,l 
 
 Suggestions to Beginners ?,:> 
 
 To Stop Blood 29 
 
 Towels and Hair Cloths 33 
 
 TAXIDERMY. 
 
 Ai'iicle I., On Skinning and Dressing Birds. . . 4H 
 
 " II., On Skinning and Di-e.s.sing Animals fi3 
 
 " HI., Fish Dressing 72 
 
 -' IV., Hunting Specimens and care of same 77 
 
 « V. and VI.. Wood and Wire Flames 79-81 
 
 " VIi., Dressing Moles, etc.. 82 
 
 " VIII., Dressing Turtles 84 
 
 *• IX.. Killing and Dressing Snakes . 89 
 
 " X., Dressing Alligators 92 
 
 " XI.. On Making Footstools, etc .. ... 94 
 
 '• XII., Polishing Horns, etc 102 
 
 " XIII., Tips for Horns, etc 113 
 
 *' XIV., Recipes for Preserving Preparations, 111 
 Tanning Hides, etc , 117 lift 
 
 Extra Formulas 127-129 
 
 130
 
 trom which it was borrowed.
 
 B 000 002 132 9