416 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



do not for a moment wish to pose as a first-class taxidermist 

 myself, and I write rather to obtain information than to give it. 

 One has to specialize in this as in most things, and a man is 

 seldom found equally good at mammals, birds, and fish ; but I 

 am exceedingly fond of the art, and if those of my readers who 

 have the same tastes as myself have derived as much pleasure 

 from so harmless and instructive a hobby as I have, I think they 

 will own that they have no very great grounds for complaint. 



