256 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



cannot "be taught, are just the people wlio know very little and 

 wIlo will never learn more. "Duffers " they are, and "duffers'* 

 they will be, to the end of their days. Every sensible man, even 

 should he rival Methusaleh — which heaven forfend ! — must be 

 learning Art (even should he teach) all his life. Make haste to 

 learn, therefore, from anyone who can give you a hint, and 

 don't set yourself up (or down) in some obscure country town 

 and fancy you are great. Come out into the world, measure 

 yourself against the best, criticise your own work as if it were 

 a strangers. Be honest, and say, "That man's work knocks 

 mine into a cocked hat," and then go home miserable, but de- 

 termined to beat that man's work or perish in the attempt. Never 

 sneak ! If you see first-class work by anyone, go boldly and say, 

 " Sir, I am an amateur," or, " I am a young professional," as the 

 case may be. " Your work interests and delights me. May I look 

 around ? " Doubtless, the person addressed will be flattered by 

 your appreciation, and, unless narrow-minded, will exchange 

 views with you to your benefit. 



Let us return to our theme. Amongst the water birds, then, 

 we may instance herons with young as making a nice group, 

 moorhens leading out their young on water under a mossy 

 bank and so on ; and this brings us to the question of mount- 

 ing pairs of birds, with their nests and eggs, or nests and 

 young. 



Groups op Birds and Young, with Modelled Foli- 

 age. — Nothing in taxidermy requires more correct mounting 

 and taste, and nothing is more charming, if properly done, 

 than illustrating the life -history of, say, a pair of birds with 

 their nest and young. Take any birds 3'ou like — sparrows 

 or robins — and, if you know anything, you may " invest with 

 artistic merit " even such common specimens as these. There 

 is a certain fascination in young things which, I suppose, 

 calls up all the kindly feelings of our nature, and so it is that 

 young birds tended by their parents are groups which appeal 

 the most to the finer senses, besides being really educative if 

 worked out properly. I remember, quite twenty years ago, 

 when a boy, seeing a collection of nearly all the " British " birds, 

 their nests and eggs, for sale, so that the idea is not a new one, 

 nor is that of surrounding such groups, with proper acces- 



