36 THE NATURALIST'S GUIDE. 



can moimt a bird, after receiving proper instruction ; but 

 to make it look lifelike and natural requires constant and 

 unceasing study of birds in their native haunts. The true 

 art, then, can only be acquired by the earnest student 

 of nature. The mere taxidermist, who constantly sits at 

 his bench and works on birds without studying from na- 

 ture, may acquire a certain degree of skill, but the atti- 

 tudes of many of his stuffed birds will appear awkw^ard and 

 grotesque to the naturalist. 



Therefore I say to those who would learn to mount birds 

 in natural attitudes, study nature. Have all attitudes that 

 every bird assumes engraved upon the brain, to be repro- 

 duced in the stuffed specimens; from the one assumed 

 by the delicate Warbler, that hops lightly from limb to 

 limb, or swings gracefully from the topmost bough of some 

 tall oak, to that of the mighty Eagle in his eager, down- 

 ward swoop upon his trembling prey. Watch the scream- 

 ing Gull in his almost innumerable positions upon the wing, 

 the nimble Sandpiper running along the shore, and the 

 gracefuU}^ floating Duck upon the water. After watching 

 these in their various natural attitudes, work ; but do not 

 cease to study for improvement, for the work of man is yet 

 ^ far from being perfect. 



In mounting birds, skin as instructed in the preceding 

 section, but do not tie the wing-bones together. Having 

 cleaned and dusted the feathers, proceed to fill the neck to 

 the natural size, without stretching, with " shorts," or the 

 bran from wheat flour, or with hemp cut fine. Roll up 

 s<3me fine grass moderately hard in the shape of an oblong 

 body (Plate VIII. Figs. 1, 2), then wind it smoothly with 

 thread. This body should be of the same proportionate 

 size as the one taken out, although not exactly of the same 

 shape, for reasons that will be seen when the bird is 

 mounted, but which cannot be easily explained. Have the 

 body perfectly smooth, and the curves regular on every part. 



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