efully noting all differences in order to form a definite impression
of the normal measurements of the animal at different ages. He made
comparative drawings of the skulls of cats, tigers, leopards, panthers,
the whole feline species, in short, seeking out the principles of
structure and noting the dissimilarities due to differences in size. He
made innumerable drawings of shoulders, heads, paws, nostrils, ears,
carefully recording the dimensions on each sketch. Among his notes was
found a minute description of the characteristic features of a blooded
horse.

He was never content with merely an external observation of a subject
when he had it in his power to penetrate the secrets of animal
mechanism. He first made sketches of his subjects, of course, but
frequently he also modeled parts of the animal in wax on the spot to
catch the characteristic movement. His indefatigable patience in thus
laying the groundwork of exact knowledge suggests the thoroughness of
the old Dutch artists. He followed, too, the recommendation of
Leonardo--so dangerous to any but the strongest mind--to draw the parts
before drawing the whole, to "learn exactitude before facility."

[Illustration: From the collection of the late Cyrus J. Lawrence, Esq.

THE PRANCING BULL

("TAUREAU CABRE")

_From a bronze by Barye_]

A story is told of a visit paid him by the sculptor Jacquemart: "I will
show you what I have under way, just now," said he to his friend, and
looking about his studio for a moment, drew out a couple of legs and
stood them erect. After a few seconds of puzzled thought he remembered
the whereabouts of the other members, and finally drew out the head from
under a heap in a corner. And the statue once in place was conspicuous
for its fine sense of unity. It was not, of course, this meticulous
method, but the use he made of it, that led Barye to his great results.
His mind was strengthened and enriched by every fragment of knowledge
with which he fed it. It all went wholesomely and naturally to the
growth of his artistic ideas, and he does not appear to have been
interested in acquiring knowledge that did not directly connect itself
with these ideas. By his perfect familiarity with the facts upon which
he built his conceptions he was fitted to use them intelligently, omit
them where he chose, exaggerate them where he chose, minimize them where
he chose. They did not fetter him; they freed him; and he could work
with them blithely,