18 
THE NATURALIST’S GUIDE. 
painted green, and sprinkled with a substance resembling 
green sand, called ^^smolt,” 'which may be procured at 
the painter’s; over this is, sometimes sprinkled thin glass, 
broken fine, which is called “ frosting,” and is also used by 
painters. 
Eocks can be imitated well with papier-mache. If stud- 
ded with small pieces of quartz the effect is heightened; 
they then may be painted in imitation of granite, sand- 
stone, etc. < The sandstone is easily imitated by sprinkling 
on sand before the pulp is dry. There are many other 
things that may be imitated with this wonderful substance, 
but, having given the preceding hints, I leave the reader to 
experiment at his leisure upon them. 
For the scientific cabinet I would advise the use of 
the plain white stands as being much neater. The others 
are only fit for ornament. 
One other thing is necessary. Take a thin board, and 
at intervals of two inches tack transversely strips of wood 
(Plate IV. Fig. 1); then cut a strip of paper as wide as 
the board, and with glue make it adhere at the top of the 
strips and at the middle of the intervening space, so as to 
form a corrugated appearance (Fig. 2). These are used in 
drying skins of birds. Each board should have about 
twelve such spaces, varying in width from two to four 
inches, the boards varying in width from four inches to 
one foot. These boards, with careful use, will last a long 
time. 
Section III. Measuring^ Skinning^ and ^Preserving Birds, 
— For measuring, a pair of dividers, or compasses, a steel 
rule, divided into hundredths of an inch, and a longer 
rule, divided into inches and half-inches, will be wanted. 
To measure the bird, proceed as follows : Place the bird 
upon its back upon the -longer rule, with -the end of the 
tail at the end of the rule; the neck is stretched at full 
length, without straining ; the bill must be pointed with 
