TAXI : to move, DERMY : skin  TAXIDERMY: To move skin.  It is the proper placement of the skin that makes an animal look natural.  Hair patterns, cowlicks, muscle detail, eye shape, ear placement and other items are what make a deer look like a deer and a bobcat look like a bobcat.  It sounds pretty simple but it is often the difference between a good mount and a bad mount.  Have you ever looked at a mount and just couldn't put your finger on what made it look odd?  It was most likely the skin placement.  The importance of making the manikin fit the skin properly cannot be overstated.