138 



THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 



Fainting the Background. 



Photo — Ar. Musgrave. 



and samples of the rock and grasses pre- 

 served for later reference. 



On returning to Sydney, this nest was 

 reproduced as accurately as possible for 

 exhibition in the Museum gallery. With 

 the photographs as a guide, a wooden 

 framework was built, over which fine 

 wire gauze was stretched, its folds and 

 angles corresponding with those of the 

 rock surrounding- the real nest. This 

 gauze was then covered with a mixture 

 of papier-mache, cinders, and plaster, 

 which produced the texture of the vol- 

 canic cliff, and the whole coloured from 

 the rock samples. The flying bird and 

 the chick, which had been mounted on the 

 island, in carefully studied positions, were 

 supplemented by a third, and their faded 

 bills and feet recoloured from sketches 

 made from the fresh specimens. Grasses 

 were added, and the whole completed so 



far as possible in the workshop, after 

 which the rather massive framework was 

 brought up in sections and finally ar- 

 ranged in the case. Concealed electric 

 lights illuminate the finished group, and 

 so produce the effect of realism as nearly 

 as may be. 



There have been two Boatswain Birds 

 in the Museum for a considerable num- 

 ber of years, and they have been ex- 

 hibited in a very conspicuous place. Yet 

 it is probable that scarcely a dozen of the 

 thousands of visitors w^ho have passed 

 through the galleries each year have re- 

 membered them, or perhaps even seen 

 tliem. But we hope that this new group 

 will attract so much attention that it will 

 be carried away in the memory of many 

 hundreds each year, just as is the lion 

 group or the case of Hawaiians in their 

 life-like poses. 



"Check-List of the Fishes and Fish- 

 Like Animals of New South Wales," by 

 Allan R. McCullocb, is a welcome ad- 

 dition to the natural history literature 

 of our State. By the use of a simple 

 "key," one is enabled readily to deter- 

 mine any fish. The list is profusely il- 



lustrated, and is complete with a gener- 

 ous index and glossary. Credit is due 

 to the Royal Zoological Society for hav- 

 ing issued this handbook, and to its 

 patrons for having made possible its 

 publication at a cost greatly below that 

 of publication. 



