Taxidermy. 



337 



stuffed birds, or drawers of insects of the history of which little is 

 known. The periods of arrival and departure of migrating birds, 

 and notes respecting their habits, the seasons at which certain in- 

 sects make their appearance, their food, their metamorphoses, and a 

 thousand other similar matters, are well worthy of being recorded ; 

 and if any one should note down, day by day, whatever he has ob- 

 served bearing on these points, the increasing interest of the subject 

 will induce him to continue Lis pleasing task. And should obser- 

 vations of this kind be made and recorded in various localities, a 

 comparison of the results would doubtless evolve many important 

 deductions bearing upon the Natural History of this great territory. 



Many residents in the interior are deterred from attempting to 

 preserve specimens of natural history, by entertaining an erroneous 

 idea of the difficulties attending the various operations to ensure 

 that end. But, with the exception of that part of Taxidermy (or the 

 preparation of skins) which embraces the setting up in position of 

 quadrupeds and birds, an operation requiring a considerable 

 amount of practice, and affording scope for much taste in order to 

 be successful in imitating the natural form and characteristic attitude 

 of the creature to be stuffed, I can assure the young beginner that 

 with an ordinary amount of ingenuity, neat handedness, and pa- 

 tience, he will meet with no great difficulties to be overcome. On 

 the contrary, at every step he will find himself becoming more and 

 more proficient, and take so much the greater interest in the pur- 

 suit. But, without entering farther into this subject, I shall pro- 

 ceed to give a few practical remarks on the mode of preserving the 

 various objects of natural history. 



MAMMALIA. 

 (Including all animals which suckle their young). 



The mouth and nostrils, having been stopped up with cotton- 

 wool or tow, any shot holes having been plugged up, an incision is 

 to be made with a sheep knife in the central line along the breast 

 and abdomen, of sufficient length to admit of the extraction of the 

 body. The skin is then to be detached in the same manner as in, 

 skinning a sheep, the legs are to be disjointed from the trunk, and 



