4 TAXIDERMY. 



the Squalus Carcharias, the Crocodile, were pad- 

 ded with straw, whence comes the term stiiffed, 

 (empatlle,) for which we have substituted that of 

 mounted ; it does not perfectly express the idea we 

 would convey, but it is always more correct than 

 the former. 



Some persons struck by the appearance of these 

 animals, tried to skin indigenous birds, and to 

 mount them. They succeeded indifferently; the 

 body was too forward, and the thighs came be- 

 yond the rump. It may be well to observe, that 

 this fault always happens to those who mount a bird 

 for the first time, even if they have received proper 

 instructions. 



Schceffer succeeded to these. This naturalist, 

 after skinning them, contented himself by cutting 

 the birds longitudinally in two, and filling one half 

 with plaster : fixing the skin properly at the back 

 of a box, of a depth proportionate to the size of 

 the bird, he stuck in an eye, and replaced or re- 

 presented the beak and claws by painting ; he then 

 carefully fixed a glass on this frame, to protect 

 the object from insects. This method is still fol- 

 lowed in Germany, but much, improved. 



A work appeared at Lyons, in 1758, entitled, 

 " Instructions on the Manner of collecting and 

 preparing the different Curiosities of Natural 

 History." The author was the first who submit- 

 ted some useful principles for Taxidermy; he or- 



