A TAXIDERMIST AS A SCULPTOR 177 
who support art financially that stimulated my first 
work in bronze. I felt that we might expect the aid 
of these men in such undertakings as the African Hall 
if I could once get them to see the artistic possibilities 
of taxidermy. The American Museum of Natural 
History already had friends who were interested in 
art, but it had not occurred to them that the Mu- 
seum’s animal groups had any relation to sculpture 
because these groups had not been presented in the 
accepted materials of sculpture such as stone and 
bronze. Through the medium of bronze I hoped to 
lead them to see in the taxidermist’s productions 
something worthy of their support as patrons of art. 
So I set to work to do a bronze that would prove 
that a taxidermist could be an artist. Years before I 
had heard the story of an elephant bull wounded by 
hunters, whose two comrades had ranged themselves 
one on either side and helped him to escape. I 
have told the story in detail elsewhere. It always ap- 
pealed to me as showing a spirit in the elephant that 
I should like to record. I set to work on The 
Wounded Comrade. It was a part of the story of the 
elephant, a theme that always aroused enthusiasm 
inme. And I felt it was a labour of love for African 
Hall. It was pleasant work. It went well. The 
thing seemed to take shape naturally. It was soon 
finished. Then came its test. 
Mr. J. P. Morgan came to the Museum to talk 
over African Hall. I explained the whole plan, 
showed him the model of the hall and incidentally 
The Wounded Comrade. He liked the scheme. As 
