museums, for they occupy but little room and are more conven- 

 iently studied than mounted specimens. 



Now, the preparation of a really good skin probably requires 

 as much and as careful work as most boys expect to devote to 

 the entire process of mounting. Mounting, then, should not be 

 attempted until one is able to put up perfect skins and any boy 

 who has attained anywhere near this proficiency can be of much 

 service to the Museum and through it receive in return training 

 and facilities for more ambitious work. 



This brings us to the relation of the Museum to taxidermy. 

 Boys who come to the Museum know that we are deeply inter- 

 ested in the protection and preservation of birds and animals. 

 The Museum, therefore, cannot encourage indiscriminate slaugh- 

 ter of birds and animals as material for amateur experiments in 

 taxidermy, and we feel sure that even the boys who are most 

 enthusiastic taxidermists have thought of the harm their pas- 

 time may do. The Museum is maintained as a center for the 

 study of nature and the preservation of specimens. It ought, 

 therefore, to maintain all the collections necessary for the stud- 

 ies of the whole community and there should be no need for 

 individuals to make private collections. 



What then is the boy who is interested in taxidermy to do? 

 Why, let him learn to make good skins for preservation in the 

 Museum. For practise material he may use English sparrows 

 and rats or mice, and until he can put up perfect skins of these 

 he should not kill any song bird or wild animal; even then he 

 should work under the direction of the Museum. 



No one should think that a good series of English sparrow or 

 rat skins would be without value. If such a series included spec- 

 imens of both sexes, taken at all ages and all seasons, it would 

 show a great many points of value which the Museum has no 

 means of demonstrating at present. 



60 



