A packing box or two will furnish some lumber for temporary stands and interior frame work. The permanent mounts are treated of elsewhere.
In ordering glass eyes it is often best to get them in the clear glass iris with black pupil so they may be given any color desired by painting the backs with tube colors, afterward protecting the paint with varnish. In this way a small stock will answer for many varieties. The plain black eye which is the least expensive can be used for many of the smaller birds and mammals, but should never be when the iris of the eye has any distinct tint. Do not make the mistake of ordering an assortment of "off" sizes and colors, that is those which are seldom called for. Aim to have those on hand for which you will have the most frequent use, the exceptions can be quickly had by parcel post. There is more demand for eyes of some shade of yellow or brown than any other colors, probably.
All birds have the round pupil. Elongated pupils are suitable for horned game and the cat tribe, irregular pupils fish, and the veined iris for dogs, wolves and foxes. Suitable sizes for some species of birds are as follows:
| Number | 3 to 5 | Sparrows generally. | ||
| Number | 5 to 7 | Robin, blue jay, flicker. | ||
| Number | 7 to 9 | The smaller hawks and herons, nearly all the ducks. | ||
| Number | 10 to 12 | The smaller owls, the wild goose. | ||
| Number | 12 to 14 | The larger hawks and herons. | ||
| Number | 15 | Screech owl, eagles. | ||
| Number | 17 | Barred owl. | ||
| Number | 19 or 20 | Snowy owl and great horned owl. |
Size of eyes for quadrupeds:
| Number | 7 or 8 | Mink, skunk, red squirrel. | ||
| Number | 10 to 12 | Gray and fox squirrel, wood chuck, raccoon and opossum. | ||
| Number | 12 to 14 | Rabbit, small dogs, house cat. | ||
| Number | 15 to 17 | Jack rabbit, fox, medium size dogs, wild cat, black bear. | ||
| Number | 18 | Large dog, wolf, lynx, and grizzly bear. | ||
| Number | 20 to 22 | Puma, jaguar, small deer. | ||
| Number | 23 to 24 | Large deer, tiger. | ||
| Number | 25 to 27 | Moose, elk, caribou, horse, cow, lion. |