THE SCIENTIFIC DEVELOPMENT OF TAXIDERMY 
AND ITS EFFECT UPON MUSEUMS. 
BY GEO. SHROSBREE. 
My recollections and observations of the Art of Taxidermy, 
date back to about the year 1870. Born of a family of Taxi¬ 
dermists of the “old school,” nearly half a century ago, at Lon¬ 
don, England, I have had the opportunity ever since I was a 
young boy, with the exception of six years spent in the British 
army, of working at Taxidermy, commencing with the crudest 
methods, and passing through the various stages, up to the pres¬ 
ent time. During my youngest days, the following method was 
employed: 
Taking the skin of a mammal, which had been roughly pre¬ 
pared with salt and alum, iron rods were placed in the legs. 
The legs were then stuffed with shavings, straw, or almost any¬ 
thing that was at hand. A thick board was then placed in the 
body to which the leg irons were stapled or bolted; also a rod 
to support the head. The mammal was suspended feet up¬ 
wards to a beam, and stuffed full of straw and shavings, the 
skin being sewn up when no more could possibly be crowded 
into it. The specimen was then stood on its feet, and pounded 
into shape with a club. 
Next came the straw model, which was made by bolting the 
leg and neck irons to a beam, and using either the natural or 
artificial leg bones; straw was then bound to the beam and to 
the leg bones, and sewn through and through, using a long sail 
needle and twine. Modeling clay was spread over the straw 
form. This was a. decided improvement, and it had a good ef- 
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