36 
THE NATURALIST’S GUIDE. 
can mount a bird, after receiving proper instruction ; but 
to make it look lifelike and natural requires constant and 
unceasing study of birds in their native haunts. The true 
art, then, can only be acquired by the earnest student 
of nature. The mere taxidermist, who constantly sits at 
his bench and works on birds without studying from na- 
ture, may acquire a certain degree of skilly but the atti- 
tudes of many of his stuffed birds will appear awkward and 
grotesque to the naturalist. 
Therefore I say to those who W'ould learn to mount birds 
in natural attitudes, sUtdy nature. Have all attitudes that 
every bird assumes engraved upon the brain, to be repro- 
duced in the ^ stuffed specimens ; from the one assumed 
by the delicate Warbler, that hops lightly from limb to 
limb, or swings gracefully from the topmost bough of some 
tall oak, to that of the mighty Eagle in his eager, down- 
ward swoop upon his trembling prey. Watch the scream- 
ing Gull in his almost innumerable positions upon the wing, 
the nimble Sandpiper running along the shore, and the 
gracefully floating Duck upon the water. After watching 
these in their various natural attitudes, work ; but do not 
cease to study for improvement, for the work of man is yet 
far from being perfect. 
In mounting birds, skin as instructed in the preceding 
section, but do not tie the wing-bones together. Having 
cleaned and dusted the feathers, proceed to fill the neck to 
the natural size, without stretching, with shorts,” or the 
bran from wheat flour, or with hemp cut fine. Eoll up 
some fine grass moderately hard in the shape of an oblong 
body (Plate VIII. Figs. 1, 2), then wind it smoothly with 
thread. This body should be of the same proportionate 
size as the one taken out, although not exactly of the same 
shape, for reasons that will be seen when the bird is 
mounted, but which cannot be easily explained. Have the 
body perfectly smooth, and the curves regular on every part. 
