130 METHODS IN THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 



and vice versa. Let your specimens be the chief objects in the 

 group. The accessories used should not overshadow or obscure the 

 specimen, or in any way tend to throw it into the background. 



^\\^ forrns and attitudes of birds figured in our Plates XXIX to 

 XXXIX inclusive are characteristic of the species they illustrate and 

 they exemplify the peculiarities of a number of families of the North 

 American Avi-fauna. The actual environments of the species are 

 also delineated. These surroundings are all of such a nature that they 

 may be reproduced by artificial structures for single pieces or for large 

 groups in museums. The methods of making artificial rock-work, 

 branches, etc., are fully discussed in Chapter II. 



The accessories used, in all cases, should be of good quality, 

 and all artificial materials should be selected with the greatest 

 care. Where the object is to imitate nature closely the more costly 

 accessories are, by far, the best to use. Cheapness never entered 

 into a high standard of art. It costs labor, skill and time to 

 imitate nature and when you make artificial branches or ground- 

 work bear this in mind. When you purchase a leaf or a flower 

 to decorate your scenes buy the most natural and elegant that the 

 market affords. Make your prices such that you can lavish all the 

 time and money necessary to attain your ends — and if you have the 

 ability it means the highest standard of art. When you imitate ice 

 do not use common tallow and plaster of Paris, as I have seen some 

 slovenly taxidermists do; make ice scenes with transparent paraffine, 

 which is very cheap and can be purchased from any dealer in artists' 

 materials. Icicles can be obtained from your dealer in naturalists' 

 supplies. Water effects may be produced with plate glass through 

 which the bottom of the stream or pond can be seen. In selecting 

 glass cases for your specimens, let them be neat, and tastefully made. 

 The most elegant cases I have seen have a light frame of ebonized 

 wood and are placed on a table of the same material. Some of the 

 finest groups of birds are arranged in wall cases with painted back- 

 grounds. 



Whatever you design in mounted birds, let them be so arranged 

 that each scene will serve as an object lesson representing some phase 

 in the life history of the species. If you are building a museum for 

 instruction, the best way to interest and instruct is with scenes fresh 

 from the fields of nature. 



It is easy to imagine the sensation of the occasional visitor to 

 many of our public museums, when he beholds the specimens mounted 

 on the old-fashioned turned T-perch or flat stand. The situation can 



