40 FIELD ORNITHOLOGY. 



danger. I must not, however, unconsciously lead you to exaggerate the risk, and will add 

 that I think it often ov(!rrated. I have probahly skinned birds as " ganiey " as any one has, 

 and repeatedly, without being conscious of any ill effects. I am sure tliat no pcjison, ordinarily 

 generated by decomposition of a body healthy at death, can compare iu virulence with that 

 comnioidy resulting after death by many diseases. I also believe that the gaseous products, 

 however offensive to the smell, are innocuous as a rule. The danger practically narrows down 

 to the absorption of fluids through an abraded surface; the poison is rarely taken in by natural 

 pores of healthy skin, if it rcmiiiu in contact but a sliort tiirie. Cuts and scratches may be 

 closed with a film (if (■iilhidiun, or covered with isinglass or court plaster, or protected by 

 rublier cots on the fing(;rs. The hands should, of coiu'se, be waslied with particular care 

 immediately after the operation, and the nails scrupulously dressed. Having never been 

 poisoned (to my knowledge), I cannot give the symptoms frnui personal experience; but 1 

 will quote from Mr. Maynard : 



"In a few days numcriins pimples, which arc exceedingly painful, appear upon the skin 

 (if the face and dtlier parts (if the persdu and, upon those parts wlicrc tliere is chafing or 

 rubbing, become hirge and deep si ires. There is a general languor and, if badly pdisoned, 

 complete prostration results; the slightest scratch becomes a festering sdi'c. Once poisoned 

 in this manner (and I speak from experience), one is ncfver afterward able t(i skin any animal 

 that has become in the least putrid, without experiencing some of tlie .symptoms above 

 described. Even birds tliat you Jiaudled bef(ire M'ith impunity, yon cariudt now skin withfiut 

 great care. The best remedy in this case is, as the J-Iibernian would .say, Udt to get poisoned, 

 .... bathe the jiarts freifuently in Cdld water ; and. it chiifed, sprinkle the ])arts after bathing, 

 with wlieat flour. These; remedies, if persisted in, will efl'ect a cure, if nut too bad; then, 

 medical advice sliould be procin-ed without delay.""' 



How to mount Birds. — As some may u(jt imprdbably jn'ocurc this volume with a 

 reasonable expectation df being taught tn iinnint birds, I append the required instrnctions, 

 although the work only professes tn treat df the prejiaratidn of skins fur the cabinet. As a 

 rule, the purposes iif scieniie are best subserved by not mounting specimens; f(jr di.splay. the 

 only end attained, is not required. I would strongly advise ydU not to nidunt ydur rarer (ir 

 dtherwise particularly valuable specimens; select for tliis purpose nice, pretty Tiirds of no 

 special scientific value. The principal objections to mounted birds arc, that they take up 

 altogether too much room, require special arrangements for keeping and transjmrtation, and 

 cannot be handled for study with impunity. Some might suppose that a mounted bird Wduld 

 give a better idea of its figure and general as])ect than a skin ; but this is only true to a limited 

 extent. Faultless mounting is an art really ditlicult, acipiired by few; the average work d(uie 

 in this line .shows soinethiiig (if cju-icature, ludicrous or re])nlsive, as the case may be. To 

 copy nature faithfully by taxidermy rc(|uires not only long and close study, Init an artistic 

 sense; and this last is a rare gift. Unless you have at least the germs of Ihe faculty in your 

 compositi(jn, ydur ta.vidermal success will be incdunjH'nsurate with the time and trouble you 

 bestow. My own taxidermal art is of a hiw order, ih^eidedly not above average; although T 

 have monuted a great many liirds that would com])are very favorably fl'ith ordinary museum 

 work, few of them have entirely answered my ideas. .V live bii'd is to me such a beautiful 

 object that the slightest taxidermal daw in the eifort to rejirescuit it is painfully offensive ; per- 

 haps this makes me place the standard of excellence too high for jjractical purposes. I like a 

 good honest birdskin that does not jiretcuil to be anything else ; it is far ]ireferable to the 



^ Avoid all niocliaDical irritation of tlie inflamed yiarts; toiicli tlie parts that, liav() nlceratod witli a sliclt 

 of lunar caustic; talte a dos(3 of salts ; nse syrup of tlie iodide of iron, or tincture of tlie cldoride of iron, say tliirty 

 drops of eitlier, in a wineglass of water, tlirice daily ; rest at llrst, exercise gradually as you can bear it ; and skin 

 no birds till you have completely recovered. 



