ANIMAL ANATOMY.
A knowledge of this subject coupled with the necessary mechanical
ability will enable their possessor to take place in the front ranks of
taxidermists. Even if we have but little opportunity to study the
anatomy of some of the rarer varieties of animal forms we can inform
ourselves of certain typical features possessed in common by other more
common members of the same great family or species.
Press and camera supplies us with much reliable information on the
subject. Books on natural history, travels and sports were never so
complete, interesting, and withal, so easy of access as they are
nowadays.
A great help to the naturalist is a collection of pictures such as
appear from time to time in periodicals. Back numbers of magazines on
outdoor life and sports will contribute quantities of these, most of
them reproduced from photographs and in a short time a large collection
of such can be made. Packing these in the pockets of a letter file will
keep them together, and at the same time make it possible to withdraw
any one or more for inspection when wanted.
Photos of dead animals are not particularly valuable but casts always
are; make them whenever opportunity offers. Not so much casts of the
entire specimen as casts of various details.
Get a set of moulds of the noses of say deer, moose, domestic cattle and
sheep and keep the resulting casts for reference. Their value will be
apparent when mounting heads. Any sketches, however rough, will also be
of use.
The circus and zoo will furnish feast days for the student of animal
anatomy and pencil and camera may be used freely at both with the
assurance of the best of treatment from officials and keepers.
A visit to the meat market will afford opportunity for study of the
muscular system of the domestic animals.
The sculptor builds up his clay model unhampered by fur, feathers or
bones and chisels out his statuary on a scale determined by himself
while the taxidermist must not only construct his figures or manikins in
correct proportions, but make them fit a certain skin. Hence it behooves
him even more than the sculptor to be well grounded in at least the main
principles of the anatomy of animals.
Birds in particular are a fruitful source of study, muffled as they are
in feathers, when stripped presenting a very different appearance. To
illustrate the value of a knowledge of avian anatomy I will mention an
incident occurring many years ago at a large taxidermy establishment.
[Illustration: WATER FOWL HEAD.]
Two of the frugal minded workmen having skinned a large plump duck laid
the body minus head, feet, and wings aside to furnish a dinner next day.
The porter regarding same as his perquisite abstracted and hid it. The
first owners discovering it substituted the body of a large horned owl
then in the process of mounting and so made all concerned happy. The
porter bragging loudly next day of the fine duck he had done them out
of, they were able to convince him of the truth only by exhibiting the
duck remains as a part of their lunch.