is made in thin fancy
wood, or in pine veneered; no front nor back is fitted, merely a
groove ploughed all around, with "beads," to receive and to retain the
glass, on each face. This frame is then fixed by screws, with buttons
fitting over the screw holes, between two turned and carved uprights
(like small bedstead posts), supported by carved feet on castors; a
handle of carved wood is fixed on top of the box, which completes the
joiner's work. The inside of the frame is papered and coloured; the
birds--usually brightly-coloured foreign birds, or humming birds and
butterflies--are inserted, properly mounted on light twigs, etc, and
the glass beaded in, to complete all.

One very nice "screen" was exhibited at the "Fisheries," almost a
reproduction of the woodcut illustrating the outside of Science
Gossip, with the addition of a hawk striking the kingfisher. There
were also two large and capital trophies, called "The Rod". and "The
Gun," remarkably cheap, mounted as screens in framed bamboo. The first
represented a string of large fresh-water fish depending from a branch
of a tree, a creel, a rod, a landing-net, and other angling gear. "The
Gun" showed a fine bittern and heron, and, I think, some other birds,
also depending from a branch, with a gun and some old-fashioned tools
(powder-flask, etc.) included.

"Screens" filled with corals and sponges (Euplectellae, etc.) would be
very handsome and useful. I am not sure whether I have seen any
managed in this manner.

Very handsome "screens" for the mantelpiece may be made up from owls,
hawks, seagulls, and a variety of other birds. The birds being skinned
out through an opening in the back, the wings and tail are cut off and
spread out on a board, with fine needle points driven through their
webs until the pair of wings--the butts or shoulders placed
inward--assume the shape of a long oval; the tail is fully spread by
the same means, and wings and tail are "wrapped" with cotton and left
to dry. The head and breast are stuffed independently of these and
sewn up.

When all is ready, a handle of about 8 in. to 10 in. long by 0.5 in.
square must be turned out of ivory, ebony, or any wood desired. One
end of this should be turned the full thickness of the wood for about
1.25 in. from the top, then drilled with two holes through its
diameter, and a slot cut of 0.25 in. in width longitudinally for the
full length of the 1.25 in. to receive a thin piece of oval shaped
deal