fts 



BIED-PEE SERVING. 



ALMOST the first thing a young naturalist takes 

 interest in is what is commonly called " bird-stuffing,'' 

 and with him, when he attempts it, the term is very 

 applicable. Oh ! the wretched, distorted things which 

 rise from their collapsed state, where it had been 

 better had they remained, " they mimicked Nature 

 so abominably." But we must not suppress and dull 

 the aspirations of genius, remembering that the most 

 accomplished in any art had their beginning too. 

 Many things are required to make anything of this 

 art such as delicacy of hand, great practice, but, 

 above all, patience, the most inestimable of all common 

 virtues. But I shall proceed to give a few plain 

 directions, that the aspirant after taxidermal excel- 

 lency may judge and try for himself, ar,d not be dis- 

 heartened. A fair specimen being obtained, take 

 common cotton wadding, and with an ordinary paint- 

 brush stick plug the throat, nostrils, and, in large 

 birds, the cars, with it, so that when the skin is turned 

 no juices may flow and spoil the feathers; you must 

 then provide yourself with the following articles : 

 A knife of this kind, A, which is very common ; a pair 

 of cutting plyers, B ; a pair of strong scissors, c, of a 

 moderate size ; a button-hook, D ; a marrow-spoon, 

 E ; and a hand-vice, r. With these, a needle and 

 thread, and a sharpener of some' kind, to give your 



