TAXIDERMY. 49 



Whales. 



The spermaceti whale, (Physeter, L.) and the 

 common whale, (Balsena, L.) terminate the series 

 of mammifera. Their preparation would not be 

 less interesting than that of other animals for Mu- 

 seums of Natural History, but the difficulty of pro- 

 curing, and the expense of mounting, these enor- 

 mous animals, joined to the room they take up, 

 in some measure render the means useless which 

 we might point out for mounting and preserving 

 them; consequently we will proceed to treat of 

 those quadrupeds which we procure in voyages or 

 travels of great length. 



Naturalists are, without doubt, much indebted 

 to travellers, whose interests call them into distant 

 countries, and who, from taste, enrich their own 

 with objects of Natural History. But how many 

 precious objects would reach us from all parts of 

 the world, if those who thus occupy themselves, had 

 the necessary instructions to guide them in their 

 researches. 



Previous to starting for the chace, which in some 

 parts must be prolonged for several weeks, or even 

 much longer, the traveller should provide himself 

 with a pot of the preservative, some large pincers, 

 spirits of turpentine, needles and thread, scissars, 

 forceps, scalpels* one or several knives, and lastly 



