80 CAMP-FIRES OF A NATURALIST. 



found to be tough enough fcr all practical pur- 

 poses. 



The month of June, which was thus devoted to 

 field-work, passed very quickly, and one hundred and 

 fifteen birds stood on the pole table ready for trans- 

 portation down the mountain. But this was a prob- 

 lem which had not yet been solved. How were the 

 mounted specimens to be carried down the twisting 

 trail and over the hundreds of miles of railroad 

 without injuring them? Dyche had an idea about it 

 before he came, and several cracker and soap boxes 

 had been taken apart and carried up the mountain 

 and were now put together. The birds had been 

 mounted on a T-shaped stand, and the cross-piece of 

 the T was now taken off and placed on the bottom 

 of the box, holes in which permitted the passage of 

 wire. This wire passed over the cross-piece and was 

 securely fastened below. Adjusting the birds at 

 such an angle as to occupy the least space, a layer 

 covered the bottom of the box and then cleats were 

 screwed on and a shelf or tray, also covered with 

 birds, was placed in, the process being continued 

 until the box was filled. The lid was screwed on and 

 the whole neatly covered with canvas, giving to it 

 the appearance of an ordinary satchel, to .which 

 handles were attached. In addition to the hundred 

 and fifteen mounted birds a large cracker-box was 

 filled with dry skins, the larger ones being rolled in 

 cotton and fastened in the box so that they could not 

 crowd each other, and the smaller ones being placed 

 in cylinders made of heavy manilla paper, to which 

 they were secured by long pins passing through the 



