nding, tuck the tibia quite close to the abdomen, apparently under
the wing, and reveal only a very little portion of the tibio-tarsal
joint, keeping the metatarse perfectly straight, or, as someone wrote
to me once, "like two arrows or sticks." (For explanation of these
parts named, see Plate II, (N, q, P.) )

Although most works on taxidermy profess to give descriptions of the
attitudes of animals, I cannot do so for the simple reason that I
consider the acquirement a speciality and purely a matter of
experience. Nature must be closely studied; failing this, reference
must be made to illustrated works on natural history. All of Gould's
works are grand guides to attitudes of specimens and accessories, as
also that beautiful work of my friend H. E. Dresser, F.L.S, etc, on the
"Birds of Europe;" but as the price of these magnificent works places
them beyond the reach of any but rich people, the amateur may fall
back on Morris's "British Birds" and Bree's "Birds of Europe" for
coloured plates, and Routledge's "Wood's Natural History" for
uncoloured plates of many mammals, birds, and fishes; those signed by
Coleman being especially artistic and natural. Add to these Cassell's
new "Natural History," edited by Dr. Duncan, F.R.S.--really the best
book on popular natural history we have.

Other works, perhaps not so easily accessible, are the "Proceedings of
the Zoological Society," and the "Ibis," for coloured illustrations of
animals--often in characteristic attitudes, and which, with the
above-named works, fitly replace the more ancient "pictures" of
animals, arranged on the "fore and aft" system, and from which instead
of nature, our taxidermists took their original ideas; indeed, the
English school, with true British insularity, would, I presume, have
continued the mounting of animals by this "fore and aft" method, had
not the Germans and French broken rudely in on our slumbering
taxidermists at the Great Exhibition of 1851. [Footnote: Is it not
singular that even now anything stiff, inartistic, "solidly" (i.e.
clumsily) made, or behind the age, is cherished with the utmost
veneration, as being a proof of the solidity of our "Old English
Methods" (and skulls)!]

I propose now to give a few hints on groups, etc, not describing their
management, but merely giving a list of subjects. First, let me say
that in order of merit, in all arts connected with the preservation of
natural history objects, I must, after many years s