The Artistic Grouping of Stuffed Birds. 97 



when the bark is used in very small flakes or pieces, 

 and the joins are properly concealed with lichens and 

 moss, it looks as solid as a piece of the actual 

 tree trunk ; and the work has this great advantage — 

 it weighs but little. "When once the technical 

 difficulties are conquered, the amateur usually has a 

 great advantage over the professional, for he spends 

 much more time on his subject, and works on until 

 he has obtained a resemblance to nature. The work 

 of the professional, as a rule, has little artistic merit, 

 and to set up a bird in its natural surroundings 

 successfully, this is undoubtedly required. Birds 

 which have been cased by professionals are 

 almost invariably surrounded with grasses, bulrushes, 

 and ferns, mixed up together in the most incon- 

 gruous way, and in utter defiance of the laws of 

 nature, whilst to set up a group naturally, the 

 greatest possible care must be used to prevent any 

 combination, which would be contrary to these laws. 

 The birds must be in the right plumage — many 

 birds are totally different in summer and winter ; 

 the nest must be in a natural position ; the leaves or 

 flowers must be in the stage of growth corresponding 

 with the time of year at which the bird builds, and a 

 great many other minor details must be carefully 

 attended to. And here let us say a word for 

 photography as an aid to the naturalist. A note 



