ING.

While it is unlikely that many readers of this book will undertake the
collection of natural history specimens in any great numbers or as a
special business, a few words on the subject may not be amiss.

It is well to bear in mind that the better the condition of the specimen
when it first comes to hand, the greater will be our chances of success
in properly preserving it. A small bird shot with a rifle is not worth
bothering with unless excessively rare, and a fur bearer which the dogs
have been allowed to maul and chew is very difficult to put in
satisfactory condition.

One rule of the collector in the field is to shoot each specimen with
the smallest possible charge of shot and powder which will kill it. I
speak of shooting, as probably three-fourths of the objects mounted by
the average taxidermist have been killed with fire arms.

Of late years a number of collector's guns have been put out by the arms
makers, though any good small bore shotgun will answer for collecting
all of our small and medium sized American birds and mammals. Some of
these guns of about .44 cal. are exceedingly accurate and reliable
performers.

In one case this small bore shotgun has been combined with a rifle, and
the light weight and portability of this little arm makes it about the
last word in guns for collecting all small specimens.

[Illustration: MARBLE'S SHOT GUN AND RIFLE COMBINED.]

It as well as other single guns of the same bore, is built to use a
round ball in the shot barrel, making them capable of stopping deer or
bear at short ranges. However, choosing a gun is like choosing a wife,
every one has their own tastes.

I would advise the would-be collector to load his own shotgun shells, at
least those for small birds and animals, as it is almost impossible to
get factory loaded shells but what are charged too heavily.

For the collection of animals for taxidermic purposes the use of traps
will probably yield some of the best as well as the more rare and
unusual varieties. Such styles of traps as least injure the appearance
of the finished specimen are preferred.

The old-fashioned snare, dead-fall and box trap are as good as any in
this respect. The wire spring or choke traps of Stop Thief style are
ahead of the common steel trap in this respect, but like the homemade
traps cannot be used in so many various situations.

[Illustration: THE "STOP THIEF" OR CHOKE TRAP.]

Water animals taken in steel traps may