VIU PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION". 



tliis "book, tliinking to do all attempted to be explained tlierein 

 witliout long study and without a knowledge of anatomy, form, 

 arrangement, and colour, may put it on one side as useless. 

 These pages are merely an introduction to a delightful art, 

 which must be wooed with patient determination and loving 

 pains until technical skill invests it with beauty. 



If I can be of any assistance to my readers, I invite them to 

 write to me if at any time they are puzzled or temporarily dis- 

 heartened; merely asking them to remember (1) — That, not 

 being in business, I cannot of course answer purely business 

 communications ; and (2) — Not being a man of infinite leisure, 

 it must also be remembered that a properly directed envelope 

 for return to the inquirer is of consequence when minutes are 

 precious. Unlike the Prime Minister, I do not like post-cards, 

 and never answer them if from unknown correspondents. 



I may here mention that this edition is not only considerably 

 enlarged, but has several woodcuts and four plates added, 

 three of which latter have been engraved from photographs 

 specially taken for this work. 



I say now, in conclusion, work hard, study hard, and look to 

 good modellers and painters — and not to bird- stuff ers — for con- 

 ceptions of form, arrangement, and colour, and in the end, 

 believe me, you will achieve a better success than attends the 

 labours of those who follow in the old paths of careless or 

 inartistic Taxidermy. 



MONTAGU BROWNE. 



Leicester. 



