254. THE YOUNG 



every crevice until it is thoroughly explored, 

 and then the little insect-hunters move to 

 the next tree, and will thus take the whole 

 circle of a wood without leaving it. Some- 

 times they resort to lower-growing plants 

 and feed upon the stoall seeds. Mr. Bond 

 has noticed them capturing insects on the 

 wing after the manner of the Fly-catchers. 



In Confinement the Gold Crest is best 

 kept in a conservatory where it can have 

 full range and plenty of insects. 



Habitat. — The Gold Crest is met with 

 in fir woods throughout Britain, more nu- 

 merous in the north than in the south. 



Abroad it is met with in all suitable parts 

 of Europe, and in some parts of south and 

 eastern Asia, and has been noticed in 

 Algeria. 



Nest. — The nest is an elegant structure. 

 One of which a figure, almost natural size, 

 is given, was sent me by Miss Prescott 

 Decie, of Bockelton Court, Tenbury. It is 

 composed of moss and spiders' webs, with a 

 little lichen, compactly woven into an oblong 

 ball, and a thick lining of feathers, with a 

 small opening on one side. It was cut 

 from a yew tree, on which one or two nests 

 are found every year. Generally the nest 

 is placed in a fir, and is suspended on the 

 underside of a branch, or in a fork, but 

 sometimes it is built in a holly or low bush. 



Eggs.— The eggs are less than any 

 other British bird. They vary in number 

 from five to seven, and are of a pale reddish 

 drab, darker at the large end. 



Varieties sometimes occur white, or 

 white with faint red spots. 



COLLECTING AND PREPAR- 

 ING SPECIMENS OP 

 MAMMALIA. 



Collecting and mounting specimens of 

 mammalia is so similar to that of birds, that 



NATUEALIST. 



these instructions will be given under that 

 head. The only difference is that in the 

 larger animals, the skin after being taken 

 from the flesh should be immersed for 48 

 hours in a strong solution of alum, saltpetre, 

 and salt. Smaller animals may have their 

 skin powdered with burnt alum and saltpetre 

 as will be given in the instructions for birds. 



THE PREPARATION OF SKINS FOR 

 FURS AND RUGS is a matter which re- 

 quires a great deal of patience and manual 

 labour. A receipt for preparing skins 

 was given in our first volume, but the 

 following taken from Brown's " Practical 

 Taxidermy" is said to be the best. " Mix 

 bran and soft water, sufficient to cover the 

 skins, let this stand four hours covered before 

 being used, then immerse the skins, keeping 

 them well covered for 24 hours (less in India), 

 then take them out, wash clean, and carefully 

 scrape off all the flesh. To one gallon of 

 water fhot) add one pound of alum, and a 

 quarter of a pound of salt. When dissolved, 

 and the mixture is cool enough to bear the 

 hand, immerse the skins for 24 hours, take 

 out and dry in the shade, and well rub with 

 the hand. Stir the liquor and again immerse 

 for 24 hours ; dry, and hand rub as before, 

 and then put the skins for 24 hours into 

 warm oatmeal and water, stirring occasionally. 

 Dry in the shade, and when the skin is 

 nearly dry, hand rub till quite dry.'' 



PREPARING SKELETONS of the smaller 

 animals or birds can be easily accomplished 

 by placing the specimens to be skeletonized 

 upon an ant hill, or near a wasp's nest, and 

 afterwards bleaching the bones by a weak 

 solution of quick lime, and drying in the 

 sun. Larger animals must hare as much of 

 the flesh taken from the bones as possible, 

 without injuring them, and then the whole 

 must be put to macerate in quick lime and 

 water. After some days the animal must be 

 taken out and the flesh scraped away, but if 

 it does not readily separate from the bone, 

 put it back again and let it remain until the 



