266 METHODS IN THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 



iderinists owes much to the high order of art which is now being infused 

 into the taxidermic specimens all over the land. Besides the very ac- 

 curate form, attitude and expression of his mammals, there is one fea- 

 ture which is also characteristic of his work : it is the apparent natural, 

 flexible texture of the skin, if I may be allowed the expression. That 

 taxidermy is a true art, this man has surely proven it. Among some 

 of the single pieces which I have seen that have been prepared by this 

 artist is the little African elephant, " Mungo,'' an exquisite piece of 

 work which was awarded the first prize at the third annual exhibition 

 of the Society of American Taxidermists, a hairless Mexican terrier, a 

 most difficult subject, a cinnamon bear and a baby ourang-outang. 

 Numbers of pieces illustrating his skill may be seen in the various 

 museums of this country, including many charming mammal groups. 



A new era has come in with the arrangement of museum speci- 

 mens in groups, with their natural surroundings. Often the old and 

 the young of a species are represented in families placed in character- 

 istic attitudes, the whole illustrating some phase in the life-history of 

 the species. The natural surroundings of the animals are reproduced 

 as accurately as possible by artificial accessories, or they are made from 

 the actual materials brought from the woods and fields. The leading 

 museums of America and Europe have entered upon this new era of 

 improvement, and already there are to be seen within their halls 

 scenes from the fields of nature such as were never wrought in stone 

 or painted on canvas. 



There are a number of American taxidermists whose skill has 

 contributed to the success which has been attained in the various 

 museums. Some of the finest groups of mammals that have been pre- 

 pared are to be seen in the American Museum of Natural History in 

 Central Park, N. Y. With one exception they were prepared under 

 the direction of the late Mr. Jeness Richardson,' the leaves and flowers 

 being modeled by Mrs. E. S. Mogridge. 



A red squirrel group is among those of the small mammals. In a 

 yellow locust in full bloom, intertwined with the Virginia creeper, is a 

 nest with young and old, male and female. For elegance of finish 

 and general beauty, this is considered the finest of the small mammal 

 groups. The flying squirrel group is represented by a male and female 

 and young, with the summer nest in a hemlock tree-top; and close by 

 and under the same cover are the winter quarters in a hollow chestnut 

 stub. The curious opossum scene contains an old butternut stub, with 



1. This highly accomplished naturalist and taxidermist died June 24, 1S93, his place in the American 

 Museum now being filled by Mr. J. Rowley. 



