10 THE NATURALIST'S GUIDE. 



somewhat after the pattern of the celebrated mstrument 

 that is used by the natives of some portions of South 

 America to shoot poisoned arrows. His "gun" is made 

 of pine-wood, and is about four feet and a half long ; it is 

 bored smoothly the whole length with a quarter-inch hole. 

 For ammunition Mr. Brewster uses balls made of soft 

 putty. These, blown at birds, will hit them hard enough 

 to kill, if the gun be aimed rightly, which art can be 

 acquired by practice. This is certainly the preferable way 

 to collect small birds, as it does the plumage no harm. I 

 would suggest, however, that a tube of thin brass be used 

 in place of wood; if it were longer, say six feet, it would carry 

 with gi'eater force and more accuracy. Glass would be still 

 better, if it could be supported by wood to prevent break- 

 age, as it would be much smoother. The balls of putty 

 should be made to fit moderately tight. I have never 

 tried this method myself, but Mr. Brewster has, in a satis- 

 factory manner, as described above. I only wait an oppor- 

 tunity to test them myself, and trust that others will do 

 the same. 



Section II. Hoiv to prepare Specimens. Instruments, 

 Materials, etc.* — The instruments needed in preserving 

 birds and mammals are : a pair of common pliers, Plate I. 

 Fig. 1 ; a pair of cutting pliers. Fig. 2 ; a pair of tweezers. 

 Fig. 3; a scalpel. Fig. 4; two brushes, — one soft, the other 

 stiff; a flat file, and needles and thread. 



The materials needed are : wdre of annealed iron of sizes 

 between 26 and 10, also some very fine copper wire; 

 common thread, coarse and fine, also some very fine, soft 

 thread from the cotton-factories, — this is wound on what 

 are called "bobbins"; it is used in the manufacture of 

 cloth, — cotton tow or hemp, and fine grass ; for the latter 

 the long tough kind that grows in the woods is the best. 



* All the instruments and the wire may be procured at the hardware 

 stores in the cities or larger towns. 



