40 
FIELD ORNITHOLOGY. 
danger. I must not, however, unconsciously lead you to exaggerate the risk, and will add 
that I think it often overrated. I have probably skinned birds as gamey " as any one has, 
and repeatedly, without being conscious of any ill effects. I am sure that no poison, ordinarily 
generated by decomposition of a body healthy at death, can compare in virulence with that 
commonly resulting after death by many diseases. I also believe that the gaseous products, 
however offensive to the smell, are innocuous as a rule. The danger practically narrows down 
to the absorption of fluids through an abraded surface ; the poison is rarely taken in by natural 
pores of healthy skin, if it remain in contact but a short tune. Cuts and scratches may be 
closed with a film of collodion, or covered with isinglass or court plaster, or protected by 
rubber cots on the fingers. The hands should, of course, be washed with particular care 
immediately after the operation, and the nails scrupulously dressed. Having never been 
poisoned (to my knowledge), I cannot give the symptoms from personal experience ; but I 
will quote from Mr. Maynard : 
''In a few days numerous pimples, which are exceedingly painful, appear upon the skin 
of the face and other parts of the person and, upon those parts where there is chafing or 
rubbing, become large and deep sores. There is a general languor and, if badly poisoned, 
complete prostration results ; the slightest scratch becomes a festering sore. Once poisoned 
in this manner (and I speak fi-om experience), one is never afterward able to skin any animal 
that has become in the least putrid, without experiencing some of the symptoms above 
described. Even birds that you handled before with impunity, you cannot now skin without 
great care. The best remedy in this case is, as the Hibernian would say, not to get poisoned^ 
. . . . bathe the parts frequently in cold water ; and, if chafed, sprinkle the parts after bathing^ 
with wheat flour. These remedies, if persisted in, will effect a cure, if not too bad ; then,, 
medical advice should be procured without delay." ^ 
How to mount Birds. — As some may not improbably procure this volume with a 
reasonable expectation of being taught to mount birds, I append the required instructions,, 
although the work only professes to treat of the preparation of skins for the cabinet. As a 
rule, the purposes of science are best subserved by not mounting specimens ; for display. ,the 
only end attained, is not required. I would strongly advise you not to mount your rarer or 
otherwise particularly valuable specimens; select for this purpose nice, pretty birds of no 
special scientific value. The principal objections to mounted birds are, that they take up 
altogether too much room, require special arrangements for keeping and transportation, and 
cannot be handled for study with impunity. Some might suppose that a mounted bird would 
give a better idea of its figure and general aspect than a skin ; but this is only true to a limited 
extent. Faultless mounting is an art really difficult, acquired by few ; the average work done 
in this line shows something of caricature, ludicrous or repulsive, as the case may be. To 
copy nature faithfully by taxidermy requires not only long and close study, but an artistic 
sense ; and this last is a rare gift. Unless you have at least the germs of the faculty in your 
composition, your taxidermal success will be incommensurate with the time and trouble you 
bestow. My own taxidermal art is of a low order, decidedly not above average ; although I 
have mounted a great many birds that would compare very fiivorably with ordinary museum 
work, few of them have entirely answered my ideas. A live bird is to me such a beautiful 
object that the slightest taxidermal flaw in the effort to represent it is painfully offensive ; per- 
haps this makes me place the standard of excellence too high for practical purposes. I like a 
good honest birdskin that does not pretend to be anything else ; it is far preferable to the 
1 Avoid all mechanical irritation of the inflamed parts; touch the parts that have ulcerated with a stick 
of lunar caustic; take a dose of salts; use syrup of the iodide of iron, or tincture of the chloride of iron, say thirty 
drops of either, in a wineglass of water, thrice daily; rest at first, exercise gradually as you can bear it; and skin 
no birds till you have completely recovered. 
