40O TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



notes, almost a warble, and looking, there is seen a quickly-flying 

 bird far beyond gun-shot, and as he flies so does he utter his 

 musical changing whistle ; it is the green sandpiper seeking 

 some inland pool or brook. Now the gulls come flying past, 

 the tide has turned, and the oyster-catchers and curlews and 

 other shore-birds are restless, and soon the sea will run in 

 stealthily up some big creek, and no man's help can save the 

 gunner who lingers, for the larger creeks fill rapidly, and he^ 

 may run hither and thither, and see no sign of danger from the 

 seaward side, but between him and the land there stretches 

 some sinuous creek running in faster and faster, lapping in the 

 runlets, and hastening with undreamed-of speed to join another 

 and yet another creek, and so cut him off from safety. Follow 

 the ebbing tide, but beware of the turn should be the marsh- 

 fowler's motto, if he wants such a varied bag and the enjoyment 

 of such a glorious scene without peril. 



This brief recital of what really happened, and is to be seen 

 any September, will suggest numberless studies by which the 

 skill of the advanced taxidermist and modeller may be tried, 

 but, as may be gathered, no one need attempt such a combina- 

 tion of many different processes until he has had a large 

 experience in modelling plants, seaweeds, and mounting all his 

 specimens with — brains. 



Some of the groups at South Kensington are very suggestive 

 and pretty, but, as stated before, the mounting is unequal in 

 character. The large case of terns may be instanced as an 

 example. There the idea of space and atmosphere is gained 

 by a large case all glass, excepting, of course, its base and the 

 light framework, and although the groundwork of flowering 

 thrift, Armeria vulgaris, is very elegant, the birds themselves 

 are ill managed and badly set up, and look what they are — 

 " stuffed." 



Indeed, the trouble seems to have been, that although many 



