10 
THE NATUKALIST’S GUIDE. 
somewhat after the pattern of the celebrated instrument 
that is used bj the natives of some portions of South 
America to shoot poisoned arrows. His ^'gun” is made 
of pine-wood, and is about four feet and a half long ; it is 
bored smoothly the whole length with a quarter-inch hole. 
For ammunition Mr. Brewster uses balls made of soft 
putty. These, blown at birds, will hit them hard enough 
to kill, if the gun be aimed rightly, which art can be 
acquired by practice. This is certainly the preferable way 
to collect small birds, as it does the plumage no harm. I 
would suggest, however, that a tube of thin brass be used 
in place of wood; if it were longer, say six feet, it would carry 
with greater force and more accuracy. Glass would be still 
better, if it could be supported by wood to prevent break- 
age, as it would be much smoother. The balls of putty 
should be made to fit moderately tight. I have never 
tried this method myself, but Mr. Brewster has, in a satis- 
factory manner, as described above. I only wait an oppor- 
tunity to test them myself, and trust that others will do 
the same. 
Section II. How to prepare Specimens. Instruments^ 
Materials., etc.^ — The instruments needed in preserving 
birds and mammals are : a pair of common pliers, Plate I. 
Fig. I ; a pair of cutting pliers. Fig. 2 ; a pair of tweezers, 
Fig. 3; a scalpel. Fig. 4; two brushes, — one soft, the other 
stiff ; a flat file, and needles and thread. 
The materials needed are : wire of annealed iron of sizes 
between 26 and 10, also some very fine copper wure ; 
common thread, coarse and fine, also some very fine, soft 
thread from the cotton-factories, — this is wound on what 
are called bobbins ” ; it is used in the manufacture of 
cloth, — cotton tow or hemp, and fine grass; for the latter 
the long tough kind that grows in the woods is the best. 
* AU the instruments and the wire may be procured at the hardware 
stores in the cities or larger towns. 
