Roberta Nucciolo, age 13, of Oakland, Calif., for her question:

HOW DOES A TAXIDERMIST MOUNT AN ANIMAL?

Taxidermy is a technique for preserving animals and showing them as they look when alive. The taxidermist first takes accurate measurements of the skin of the dead animal. He carefully removes the skin and treates it with a preservative material.

Next the taxidermist makes a drawing of the muscles, ribs and hollows. This copy becomes his guide as he makes a model of wire, shredded wood, clay, plaster or papier mache.

The model must correspond accurately with the figure of the animal.

Finally, the taxidermist places the skin on the model and sews it together. Skins of large, heavy animals must be tanned before being mounted on the model.

The taxidermist must then add such features as the eyes and tongue. He must also shape the ears. He uses painted hollow globes instead of glass eyes to give the preserved animal a natural expression.