iSo OUTDOOR LIFE IN ENGLAND 



who is also employed by the authorities of 

 the Museum at Cambridge. His work is most 

 excellent, he is a thorough naturalist, and his 

 charges are moderate. His heart is in his 

 labour, which is one of love, and the specimens 

 mounted by him require no tricking up in the 

 way of accessories. The latter are not only 

 needless, but would, in my opinion, mar the beauty 

 of his work. 



The best specimens of stuffed fish which I 

 have seen have been from the workshop of Mr. 

 Butt, of Wigmore Street, at one time, I believe, 

 foreman to Mr. Rowland Ward, in Oxford Street, 

 whose name is sufficiently well known. It is, 

 perhaps, more difficult to procure a really well 

 preserved and mounted specimen of a fish than 

 of most other creatures, inasmuch as it is necessary 

 to have recourse to the use of paint and varnish 

 to a great extent, the natural colours being so 

 soon liable to fade indeed, they lose very much 

 of their lustre directly the fish is dead and this 

 colouring requires, to be carried out successfully, 

 the hand of a master in the art. 



Unless birds are well mounted, and posed with 

 a due regard to the attitudes which they assume 

 when alive, it is far better to keep their skins 

 unmounted until a suitable opportunity for having 

 them well set up presents itself; the skins are 

 very easily softened by an experienced taxider- 

 mist. 



I fear, however, that I have somewhat strayed 



