TAXIDERMICAL METHODS IX THE LEYDEX MUSEUM, 



HOLLAXI). 



By R. W. Shufeldt, 

 Associate in Zoology, I'. S. Xational Museum. 



Since publishing my " Scientific Taxidermy for Museums,'"^ a num- 

 ber of well-known taxidermie artists in tbe museums of America and 

 Europe have written me concerning the various methods employed in 

 their art in the institutions they represent. There has also been pub- 

 lished a work by Mr. Montagu-Browne, entitled •'Artistic and Scien- 

 tific Taxidermy and Modeling.-' ^ So far as the criticism of this last 

 volume has come to me, it would appear that it has by no means been 

 received with favor, either here or upon the Continent. Its main 

 defects, however, will be i)ointed out by me in another connection soon, 

 and will be only incidentally referred to in the present paper. 



Of all th reports recently received, no one has excited my interest 

 more, or apparently contained suggestions of greater positive value, 

 than has a MS., illustrated by a large series of photographs, received 

 fi'om Mr. H. H. ter Meer, jr., on the staff of and praeparator to the 

 Museum of Xatural History, of Leyden, Holland. This communication 

 is so full and the photographs so instructive that it commends itself to 

 taxidermists at large, and especially to those of this country, where 

 the methods in this art are now attracting so much attention. 



For many j'ears Mr. H. H. ter Meer, jr., and his father have been 

 engaged on the taxidermical work done in the Leyden Museum, where 

 Doctor J. Blittikofer is conservator, and where Doctor Fredericus A. 

 Jentick is in charge as director. Judging from the plates in my work 

 upon "Scientific Taxidermy for Museum,"' these gentlemen all speak in 

 the highest possible terms of the artistic work in this line that has up 

 to the present time been accomplished in the U. S. Xational Museum. 

 Especial delight is expressed upon examining the achievements in 

 modeling the marine invertebrates, and '' the mounting of the fowls, 

 pigeons, and parrots," and the wild turkey called forth expressions of 

 the most extravagant praise. Among the mammals, the bisons, the 



I Report U. S. National Museum, 1892, pp. 369-436. 

 •London, Adam & Charles Black. 1896. 



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