and
its allies, found in damp places, by roads, by canals, and in pasture
or corn-fields, dry and colour excellently.

Sphagnum, or bog moss, especially when having pink tips, is a most
beautiful object; the only thing to be said against it is the
difficulty of getting it free from water, and the length of time it
takes afterwards to dry.

Mosses of various sorts growing in woods on trees--lichens, gold and
grey, mosses or lichen-covered twigs, sprigs of heather, furze,
sea-lavender--all dry well, and come in usefully.

Many persons like their moss and grasses dyed: this is perhaps
allowable in some cases for common work; but if a bird or a mammal is
nicely mounted, the plainer the fitting, and nearer nature, the
better. To those, however, who desire to dye their grasses, I
recommend Judson's powder dyes as the readiest medium, the directions
for manipulating which are given with them. Any rough grass in flower
does for dyeing, and a visit to the fields just before haymaking will
supply the amateur with all he wants for this.

Teazles, thistles, and the umbels (seed-heads) of various plants,
chiefly compositae, will be found of service; but everything must be
thoroughly dried before being coloured, or before being introduced
into shades or cases. Nothing must be coloured with water colours or
gums, as some writers contend, or mould will inevitably follow. A few
drops of creosote, or the black carbolic acid of commerce, poured into
the case or shade just before closing up, is a very good thing to
prevent mildew, though if everything is thoroughly dried, and only oil
colours are used, no danger from this cause need be apprehended.

SEA-WEEDS, SHELLS, ETC.--Sea-weeds, which are constantly used in
fitting up cases of sea birds, need no description as to their
collection, further than to say that all sea-weeds, whether sea-weeds
proper, corallines, and zoophytes, must be well washed in spring
water, many times changed, to thoroughly remove the salt, and must be
well dried before being introduced into cases or shades. Those who
require full descriptions of British sea-weeds, their collection and
preservation, I must refer to "British Marine Algae," by W. H.
Grattan, published at the office of The Bazaar, 170, Strand, London.

Few sea-weeds proper are applicable to the purpose of the taxidermist,
though some of the oar-weeds can be used, and many of the red
sea-weeds (Rhodosperms) can be floated out in water and careles