378 DAN BEARD'S ANIMAL BOOK 



an African lion. But nevertheless it did have a 

 realistic appearance and resembled a real gorilla; 

 it is today probably being exhibited by some side- 

 show and heralded as the genuine article. Mr. 

 Wallace's principal business, however, was not mak- 

 ing groups of strange animals for side-shows, but 

 skillfully mounting real animals' skins in as good an 

 imitation of nature as did any of the taxidermists 

 of his time. If the shop was gloomy, mysterious, 

 and uncanny, it did not in any particular partake 

 of the nature of the proprietor, for Wallace him- 

 self was a long-bearded, genial old soul, a man of 

 wide experience and a most interesting person with 

 whom to talk. Whenever he received some new 

 or strange creature it was his custom to send me 

 word and I would journey down to his shop to 

 make sketches and take notes. One day Wallace 

 sent word that he had 



A PARROT FISH DOWN AT HIS SHOP 



which he thought might make an interesting 

 sketch. I was very busy at the time on some rush 

 work, and so I asked the wood engraver, in the 

 office next to my studio, if he would not go and 

 get the parrot fish for me at noon. He was a good 

 fellow and readily agreed to accommodate me, but 

 after he produced the fish it took a long time 

 for me to convince him that I had no idea of the 

 size of the fish and no intention of playing a prac- 

 tical joke when I asked him to get it, and it is 

 doubtful if he ever was thoroughly convinced. I 



