INTRODUCTION— ORIGIN AND PROGRESS . ii 



those taken from the living domestic fowls, whose strained and 

 inartistic attitudes are, if natural, at least those resulting from 

 fright, and not those which any one but a photographer, 

 anxious to take a " snap shot " at any risk, would perpetuate. 

 Quite as incorrect is it to write, as Dr. Shufeldt does at page 

 383:— 



By the use of the camera the taxidermist can secure subjects that 

 the unaided eye and pencil can never give him, and these are all 

 kinds of animals in rapid motion, and they may be obtained, after a 

 due amount of practice, by the use of the photographic camera. One 

 has but to study the superb series of photographs obtained through the 

 indefatigable Eadwuard Muybridge to appreciate my meaning here. 



It may be asked:, Would any taxidermist attempt to 

 reproduce " animals in rapid motion " as shown by instantaneous 

 photography ? «^Is it not yet fully understood that taxidermic 

 representation of objects stands upon a level with pictorial art, 

 and that to represent, by either method, attitudes, fixed by the 

 lightning flash of the eye of the camera, which are invisible 

 to the eye of man, is false in theory and in practice ? i-' 



There are men, however — but they are professional photo- 

 graphers, with a wide knowledge of the limited resources of their 

 art — who represent animals in natural and graceful positions, 

 and we need go no farther than instancing the beautiful 

 pictures of Gambler Bolton and of Captain Hayes, from which 

 any learned taxidermist might derive inspiration. 



The vexed and very delicate question of a university 

 career for taxidermists is, perhaps, a little difficult to decide. 

 It would be a distinct gain could one be sure that, having had 

 the advantages of a scientific training in a university, such 

 students would indeed rest content to embrace a profession 

 where a capacity for a certain amount of hard work, unfashion- 

 ably long hours, great technical skill, and some energy would 

 enable them to lead a useful and honourable life. 



