40 FIELh ORXITHOLOGY. 



danpjer. I must not, however, uueonscioiitily lead you to exaggerate the risk, aud will add 

 that I think it often overrated. I have probably skinned birds as " gainey " as any one has, 

 and repeatedly, without being conscious of auy ill efi'ects. I am sure that no poison, ordinarily 

 generated by decomposition of a body healthy at death, can compare in virulence with tliat 

 commonly resulting after death by many diseases. I also believe that the gaseous products, 

 however offensive to the smell, are innocuous as a rule. The danger pi-actically narrows down 

 to the absorption of fluids through an abraded surface ; the poison is rarely taken in by natural 

 pores of healthy skin, if it remain in contact but a short time. Cuts and scratches may he 

 closed with a fihn of coUodion, or covered with isinglass or court plaster, or protected by 

 rubber cots on the fingers. The hands should, of course, be washed with particular care 

 immediately after the operation, and the nails scrupulously dressed. Having never been 

 poisoned (to my knowledge), I cannot give the symptoms from personal experience; but I 

 will quote from Mr. Maynard : 



" In a few days numerous pimples, which are exceedingly painful, appear upon the skin 

 of the face and other parts of the person and, upon those parts where there is chafing or 

 rubbing, become large and deep sores. There is a general languor and, if badly poisoned, 

 complete prostration results ; the slightest scratch becomes a festering sore. Once poisoned 

 in this manner (and I speak from experience), one is never afterward able to skin any animal 

 that has become in the least putrid, without experiencing some of the symptoms above 

 described. Even birds that you handled before with impunity, you cannot now skin without 

 great care. The best remedy in this case is, as the Hibernian would say, not to get poisoned, 

 .... bathe the parts frequently in cold water ; and, if chafed, sprinkle tlio parts after bathing, 

 with wheat flour. These remedies, if persisted in, will efiect a cure, if not too bad; then, 

 medical advice should be procured without delay.'" ^ 



How to mount Birds. — As some may not improbably procure tins volume with a 

 reasonable expectation of being taught to mount birds, I append the required instructions, 

 although the work only professes to treat of the preparation of skins for the cabinet. As a 

 rule, the purposes of science are best subserved by not mounting specimens ; for display, the 

 only end attained, is not required. I would strongly advise you not to mount your rarer or 

 otherwise particularly valuable specimens; select for this purpose nice, pretty birds of no 

 special scientific value. The principal objections to mounted birds are, that they take up 

 altogether too much room, require special arrangements for keeping and transportation, and 

 cannot be handled for study with impunity. Some might suppose that a mounted bird would 

 give a better idea of its figure and general aspect than a skin ; but this is only true to a limited 

 extent. Faultless mounting is an art really difficult, acquired by few ; the average work done 

 in this hue shows something of caricature, ludicrous or repulsive, as the case may be. To 

 copy nature faithfully by taxidermy requires not only long and ch)se study, but an artistic 

 sense ; and this last is a rare gift. Unless you have at least the germs of the faculty in your 

 composition, your taxidermal success will be incommensurate with the time and trouble you 

 bestow. My own taxidermal art is of a low order, decidedly not above average ; although I 

 have mounted a great many birds that would compare very favorably with ordinary museum 

 work, few of them have entirely answered my ideas. A live bird is to mc such a beautiful 

 object that the slightest taxidermal flaw in the eff"ort to represent it is painfully offensive ; per- 

 haps this makes me place the standard of excellence too high for practical purposes. I like a 

 good honest birdskin that docs not pretend to be anything else ; it is far ])rcfcrable to the 



1 Avoid all meclianical irritation of the iiirtamed parts; touch the parts tliat have ulcerated with a stick 

 of lunar caustic ; take a dose of salts ; use syrup of tlie iodide of iron, or tincture of the chloride of iron, say thirty 

 drops of either, in a wineglass of water, thrice daily; rest at first, exercise gradually as you can bear it; and skin 

 no birds till you have completely recovere<l. 



