
Nov. 1886. ] AND OOLOGIST. 

Lewis, Colorado. He may change his base 
of operations by another spring. Dr. W. 
DeF. Northrup left this state Oct. 18th, 
for Mexico and Central America. 

New York Law on Song Birds. 

The latest act of the Legislature of New York 
in regard to song birds was passed May 20th, 1886. 
It abrogates all previous acts on the subject and 
consists of eight sections. The Governor de- 
clined to sign it, but it remaining in his hands 
for the statutory ten day, then became a law : 
Section 1 provides : 
“That no person in any of the counties of this State 
shall kill, wound, trap, net, snare, catch with bird lime, or 
with any similar substance, poison or drug, any bird of 
song, or any Linnet, Bluebird, Yellow Hammer, Yellow 
Bird, Thrush, Woodpecker, Catbird, Pewee, Swallow, Mar- 
tin, Bluejay, Oriole, Snowbird, Grass-bird, Grosbeak, 
Bobolink, Phcebe-bird, Humming Bird, Wren, Robin, 
Meadow Lark or Starling, or any wild bird other than a 
game bird. Nor shall any person purchase or have in his 
possession, or expose for sale, any such song or wild bird, or 
any part thereof, after the same has been killed.” 
It will be observed that § 1 prescribes that no 
person, (it is not confined to the person “who 
kills, wounds, traps, &c.”) but ‘no person can pur- 
chase or have in his possession, or expose for sale 
any such song or wild bird, or any part thereof 
after the same has been killed.” 
Section 3 provides, that § 1 shall not apply to 
any person holding a certificate, [as afterwards in 
$ 4 provided,] authorizing him to kill song birds, 
&c., for scientific purposes. 
Section 7 provides that a violation of this 
statute is a misdemeanor, incurring the penalty 
of imprisonment for not less than five nor more 
than thirty days, and a fine of not less than $10 
nor more than $50, or both, at the discretion of 
the court. 
Therefore, according to this perspicuous and 
brilliant law, if I have in my possession in my 
house, a stuffed and mounted song or wild bird, 
“or any part thereof after the same has been 
killed,” no matter who killed it, or how long it 
has been killed, mounted and stuffed, or through 
whose hands it has passed before reaching me, I 
am liable to be prosecuted for a misdemeanor, 
and to be subjected to fine and imprisonment, 
unless I can show a certificate pursuant to § 4 
authorizing me to kill birds for scientific purposes. 
The Legislature of New York has not recently 
been conspicuous for clearness in its legislation, 
but it does seem that it could have managed a 
little act about song birds without committing 
itself so plainly to what it certainly did not mean. 
—W. B.C. 

BY FRANK B. WEBSTER. 

CHAPTER XV.—MAT MAKING. 

The use of skins for floor mats is so common 
that all taxidermists should be familiar with the 
method of making, which is very simple. 
Skins can be obtained, tanned, ready for use 
from furriers. In selecting, examine the heads 
carefully to see that they are perfect. See that 
the long hair well covers the short under hair, 
and that it does not shed when stroked by the 
hand. The value depends almost entirely upon 
the condition of the fur. In consulting a furrier 
lately in regard to the vaiue of a black fox I was 
surprised by the statement that they varied from 
$30 to $175, depending upon the quality of the 
fur. 
If instead of purchasing, you have the animal, 
cut it on the under side from lip to tail and from 
foot to foot. Skin com- 
pletely, taking out all 
bones, clean carefully, _ 
cutting away all gristle, 
&e.; rub flesh side of 
skin with salt and alum 
and tack it up flesh side out, where it will dry 
quickly. Do not delay, for if the hair starts it 
will surely come off in the tanning process. If 
you desire to stuff the head to show with mouth 
open, clean the skull and retain it. 
When the skin is dry send it to a professional 
tanner. It will be cheaper to pay him than to do 
it yourself. (A simple receipt for tanning was 
given in O. and O., in a previous number). 
When the skin is returned it should be soft and 
pliable. Never use arsenic on a skin that is to 
be tanned, “so says a tanner.” Take the skin 
and dampen it by rolling it up for a few hours in 
damp cloths. Next stretch it out as much as it 
will bear and let it remain a few hours. 

STUFFING THE HEAD. 
Cover the head with wet cotton and let it re- 
main till quite soft. If the skull is to be used 
and the mouth opened, prop open the jaws 
as desired, mould with plaster to fill where meat 
was removed and to set jaws. Make gums and 
tongue as previously directed. Cut from a piece 
of strong card board, a piece the shape for a base, 
not as long as the nose but as large otherwise ; 
place the skull on it and wire it with 
fine wire; fill in the eye sockets with 
putty. Next draw the skin over the 
skull, and with a long needle and 
