INTRODUCTION. IX 



Mounting mammals and reptiles and making 

 their skins also varies as given by different indi- 

 viduals, but I have given the method by which I 

 have found, by experience, amateurs succeed the 

 best. 



Some may consider the information given in the 

 following pages, too meagre for practical purposes, 

 but I have purposely avoided giving lengthy in- 

 structions, considering a few well-worded sen- 

 tences much better, as expressing much more 

 clearly the ideas I wish to convey. In short, the 

 reader has the condensed results of my extended 

 experience, and if he will follow with care and pa- 

 tience the instructions herein given, I am sure that 

 he will obtain satisfactory results from his labor. 



I have endeavored to inculcate the idea in the 

 following pages that he who wishes to be a suc- 

 cessful taxidermist cannot accomplish his end 

 without the utmost care ; he must exercise pa- 

 tience and perseverance to the extreme ; difficulties 

 will arise, but he must overcome them by severe 

 application to the study of his art, and, as years 

 pass by, experience will teach him much that he 

 never knew before. I have been assured many 

 times, by men who are now skilful workmen, that 

 their first ideas of preserving specimens were 



