18 THE NATURALIST'S GUIDE. 



painted green, and sprinkled with a substance resembling 

 green sand, called " smolt," which may be procured at 

 the painter's ; over this is sometimes sprinkled thin glass, 

 broken fine, which is called " frosting," and is also used by 

 painters. 



Rocks can be imitated well with pcqner-mache. If stud- 

 ded with small pieces of quartz the effect is heightened; 

 they then may be painted in imitation of granite, sand- 

 stone, etc. The sandstone is easily imitated by sprinkling 

 on sand before the pulp is dry. There are many other 

 things that may be imitated with this wonderful substance, 

 but, having given the preceding hints, I leave the reader to 

 experiment at his leisure upon them. 



For the scientific cabinet I would advise the use of 

 the plain white stands as being much neater. The others 

 are only fit for ornament. 



One other thing is necessary. Take a thin board, and 

 at intervals of two inches tack transversely strips of wood 

 (Plate IV. Fig. 1); then cut a strip of paper as wide as 

 the board, and with glue make it adhere at the top of the 

 strips and at the middle of the intervening space, so as to 

 form a corrugated appearance (Fig. 2). These are used in 

 drying skins of birds. Each board should have about 

 twelve such spaces, varying in width from two to foiu" 

 inches, the boards varying in width from four inches to 

 one foot. These boards, with careful use, will last a long 

 time. 



Section III. Measuring, Skinning, and Preserving Birds. 

 — For measuring, a pair of dividers, or compasses, a steel 

 rule, divided into hundredths of an inch, and a longer 

 rule, divided into inches and half-inches, will be wanted. 

 To measure the bird, proceed as follows : Place the bird 

 upon its back upon the longer rule, with the end of the 

 tail at the end of the rule; the neck is stretched at full 

 length, without straining ; the bill must be pointed with 



