Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 30.djvu/439

Rh Mallock, W. H. The Old Order changes. New York: G. P. Putnams Sons. Pp. 513. $1.

Randall, Rev. D. A. Ham-Mishkan, the Wonderful Tent. Cincinnati: Robert Clarke & Co. Pp. 420. $2.

Stephens, H. Morse. A History of the French Revolution. Vol. I. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. Pp. 533. $2.50.

Tyrrell, Gerard G., M.D., Secretary, Sacramento, Cal. Ninth Biennial Report of the State Board of Health of California. Pp. 282.

Burnham, S. M. Precious Stones in Nature, Art, and Literature. Boston: Bradlee Whiddin. Pp. 400, with Plate. $3.50.

Stinde, Julius. The Buchholz Family. Translated by L. Dora Schmitz. New York; Charles Scribner's Sons. Pp. 262. $1.25.

Elliott, Henry W. Our Arctic Province, Alaska and the Seal Islands. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. Pp. 465, with Plates and Maps. $4.50.

Moerlein, George. A Trip around the World. Cincinnati: M. & R. Burgheim. Pp. 205, with Colored Plates.



A Boy's Lesson in Taxidermy.—Mr. Frederick G. Mather, of Albany, communicates to us the following directions in regard to "The Best Mode of Stuffing Birds," which were found in an old portfolio, and which recall lessons that were given by one of the learning taxidermists in the country a generation ago. He has followed his boyish notes to the letter. Materials.—A glover's three-cornered needle; a knitting-needle sharpened and fixed in a handle, and a sharp knife; arsenical soap, prepared as follows: Pulverized arsenic, two pounds; potash, in powder, twelve ounces; camphor-gum, five ounces; white soap, two pounds; lime in powder, four ounces. Shave the soap into small pieces; place it in a pipkin over a slow fire, and add a little water; stir with a wooden spatula till the soap is dissolved; take it off and add potash, stirring till they are well mixed; add the lime by littles, and then the arsenic, stirring till all are internally mixed; when nearly cold add the camphor, dissolved in strong alcohol; if it becomes too thick, add water sufficient. Let the bird lie two to four hours before skinning. Don't squeeze the head. Swab out the throat with cotton and put in powdered plaster of Paris; then stuff cotton into the mouth, which presses the plaster into all the cavities of the head. Pass a thread or string through the nostrils and tie it; then stuff cotton into the nostrils. The use of the string will be seen hereafter. The cotton and plaster prevent any fluids from issuing out of the head and spoiling the skin. Having smoothed the feathers carefully with cotton, lay the bird upon a piece of thick pasteboard, or a thin board covered with canton flannel, soft side up. Place the bird upon this with the head toward the left hand. Separate the legs and feathers, and at the end of the breast-bone begin to cut through the skin, down-ward. If blood or other fluids issue, put in plaster of Paris, which will absorb them. Do left side in the same manner, cutting muscles and flesh from the body. Cut muscles of wings. The membrane of the ear must be undermined by a knife, and the knife forced upward, bringing out the ends nearest the bill. Gouge out the eyes. Clear away the brain, tongue, and muscles. Wash inside the skull with arsenical soap, and fill the skull full of powdered arsenic; then press a piece of cotton into the sockets. Leave the bones of the wing, and cut the muscles. Insert a thread at the other end of the bone in the skin. Break the knob off at the end of the wing-bone. Take the muscles out of the legs, and sometimes take the fat off the legs. Lubricate with arsenical soap, and wind the bone with cotton. Then take and tie the wings with their threads, not too tight. Lubricate the whole of it with arsenical soap. Get the ball of cotton out of the nostrils. Take a little awl, the size of a wire, and run it behind the toes to the joint; then straighten the legs and tie the bone to the wire. Take the cotton off and put more on with arsenical soap. Prepare a cork body of the length of the bird, and as large round as a large-sized bottle-cork. Then take three wires, two for the legs—which are already in the legs—and one for the neck. Join them to the cork body, leaving them to project three or four inches outside the real body. Wind cotton on the wire till it becomes as large as the neck, and lubricate with arsenical soap. Wind cotton around an instrument like a knitting-needle till it is about the size of your little finger, and take them off—as fast as made—and lay them on under and around the cork body. Press it from time to time, and put in arsenic-powder. Insert leg-wires. Don't get the legs too far back, or the breast too full. More arsenic. Begin at the upper part to sew up. Get 