THE OOLOGIST. 



367 



history for over a quarter of a century, 

 yet there is scarcely a page in the new 

 work which does not offer valuable 

 suggestions to me. 



With all due regard to the text, still 

 greater credit is due to the incompara- 

 ble illustrations. The illustrations so 

 essential to the beginner, yet so rarely 

 presented in publications, are compleie 

 in every respect, and it may be said 

 that a natural artist could mount a 

 bird, mammal or reptile from these 

 aids alone, and without reference to the 

 text. There is not a wasted sentence 

 in the book, and neither is there a point 

 lacking in the engravings; from the 

 first incision in the bird's breast to the 

 intricate work of turning the skin over 

 the head — so diliicult to the beginner — ■ 

 all is made perfectly plain. 



The test aud illustrations go band in 

 hand from the skinning of the smallest 

 bird, to the complete mounting of the 

 ostrich and elephant. But in addition 

 to these, are chapters on mounting 

 heads, preservation of fish, l'eptiles, 

 crustaceans aud a dozen other subjects, 

 all profusely illustrated. Of course 

 ample space is devoted to the prepara- 

 tion of a collection of eggs, and the 

 subject is handled, as with all others, in 

 a masterful manner, and thoroughly 

 covers the ground. 



Mr. Davie's aim is evidently one to 

 make accurate workers of ail collectors 

 aud taxidermists; and with this idea, 

 he devotes his pages to practical sug- 

 gestion; utterly ignoring the esthetic in 

 the text, but aiming to convince all 

 through the medium of his illustrations, 

 that 



'.' \ thing of beauty is a joy forever." 



In a partial history of taxidermy, the 

 author gives evidence of his familiarity 

 with other works, and throughout his 

 incomparable compilation, repeatedly 

 refers in an admirable manner to other 

 taxidermists of note. 



Nothing can be sa d in criticisms of 

 the general text as regards the sense 



expressed, but there occasionally occurs 

 a misleading word, or n ore rarely, a 

 sentence. A sharp critic could also 

 pick flaws with the position of some of 

 the birds and mammal, but in the main 

 the illustrations ai*e all that could be 

 desired, and perhaps it is not to the 

 artist's discredit in delineating attitudes 

 which fail to meet my approval. 



There appears to be a growing ten- 

 dency in our country to adopt English 

 customs; and one, a most lamentable 

 fad, of issuing publications with uneven 

 sized and rough edged leaves, is upon 

 us. The idea is distasteful to all who 

 are not Anglomaniacs, even when the 

 custom is followed in story editions, 

 but to hamper readers with this ridicu- 

 lous custom, and that, too, in a book of 

 reference, is far from meeting with the 

 approval of the sensible class of stu- 

 dents. 



The price of the v\ ork when adver- 

 tised was a surprise to me, and it was 

 felt that there could never be a demand 

 for it, but on examination of the publi- 

 tion my only surprise is in the fact that 

 Mr. Davie's "Methods in the Art of 

 Taxidermy" can be sold at its present 

 figure. 



The work is admirable. It is incom- 

 parable. It will instruct the youngest 

 as well as the oldest; the professional,, 

 and amateur as well as the beginner 

 who is totally dependent on book in- 

 struction. Enough cannot be said in 

 favor of this remarkable publication,, 

 which will hardly be approached, sure- 

 ly never excelled within the age of liv- 

 ing man. 



Morris Gibbs, M. D., 



Kalamazoo, Mich. 



The Barbarism of Fashion. 



It is with profound regret that all 

 true Ornithologists and "lovers of the 

 beautiful feathered denizens of our 

 fields and forests, learn from the recent 



