Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-10-09
AaisrellaneDns.
A new York faxidermisfs Shop.
A CURIOUS COLLECTION OF BIRDS AND
ANIMALS.

The vicinity OF North William and Chat
ham strets, near where the East River
bridge comes squarely down to the ground.
Is honeycombed with the stores Of taxid-
ermists. dealers in birds, importers of
animals and snakes, and all manner OF
practical naiuralists. Some OF them have
been compelled TO leave the places they
have occupied for years, TO make way for
the huge bridge. but none of them went
very far from their old haunts.
A Tribune reporter recently visited the
shop of a taxidermi-t in North William
street. In the DOORWAY lion stood with
erect name. and eyes glaring in manner
that at first startled the visitor, but he re-
covered his composure ON perceising a
little snow white lamb lying right between
the big brute's fore legs. A glance around
the dark and dngy room revealed sight
that was worth long journey to see.
There were specimens Of nearly al the
fish, flesh. and animal creation, preserved
with wonderful accuracy By the taxider-
mist's skill All quarters of the world
were represented. The display If gor-
geous plumaged birds was most striking.
Tue keeper Of the shop pointed out the
DedslS 1liI DiIu~ W INT Ei-liDi- dbt bDi'
where they all came from. There were
20 different birds Of Paradise, nea " all
as unlike one another as possible. Some
were Of brilliant yellow color. mixed
with crimson, some green and black. and
others OF all the colors of the rainbow.
Il have the most complete set Of birds
of Paradise in America. said the taxider-
mist. They come only from the Malay
Archipelago and North Ausir lila"
Huge gray eagles, measuring eight feet
from tip 10 tip Of their wings. looked a.
If they intended to swoop down and carry
off the little lamb between the liou's legs.
IL have arranged everything in here
with a view TO effectiveness, said their
owner. lyon see have the lion and the
lamb lying down together, and two fierce
Ben. al tigers over in this corner are
springing upon mounted Arab, who
plunges at them with his sword" Ia .
glass ease that stood where the light from
the door could shine full upon it, were
about 200 birds, whose rainbow-tinted
plumage defied description. There were
the tiny ruby-throated hummIng birds and
paroquets of pale green and gold. There
were birds with blue backs and black
breasts, and others with black backs and
blue breasts A thousand hues CLEANED
and flashed in the glass case.
Above the case was collection of
stuffed game birds prairie chicken
from the Western plains touched the beak
Of a long necked black cock from Scot
land. The gray sage hen from the alkali
deserts of Arizona and Nevada, stood side
by side with the beautiful English pleas
ant. Ducks, geese, brant. pelicans and
flamingos from the Falk land Islands. quail
ptarmigans. and hundreds of other birds
filled up the shelves and were stacked
about The counters. A big boa-constrictor
was coiled around crocodile on the floor.
Cinnamon. black and grizzly bears We're
apparently holding matinee in one cor
ner with giraffe. a coyote, wolf fox
raccoon, and an opossum among the
audience.
where do you get the birds and ami
mails to stut1?' asked the reporter.
IL get them from sailors who bring
them here from all over the world" was
the reply. "ln addition 10 this. I have
skins sent to me by the Broadway furriers
10 dress, and when there is an exception
ally fine skin. will stuff it. Then very
often gentlemen hunting will kill animals
which they get me to stuff for them.
stuff many elk. moose. and buffalo
heads for army officers. The process If
preparation consists of subieciing the hide
TO n solution of pickle. and aIterward
passing it through water. Ii is then trea-
ted with a prepai alton of arsenic and ar
seniral soap. alter which we stuff it with
tow, cotton or excelsior, which is sort
Of shavinys much used in packing"
The reporter and taxidermist next went
down stairs, where a room, darker and
more dingy than the one up stairs. was
literally jammed with heads of animals
of all kinds. A workman was busy dress
ing n beaver skin at II table. Hawks and
eagles-the royal. bald-headed North
American bird of freedom predominating
their fierce eyes cleaning in the twi-
light of the room. percbed on bit OF
rocky crag or scared aloit with outstreicbed
wings. There were bears. lions and wild
cats, and many other animals in the room
See here said the taxidermist; there
is n female caribou with history. twas
shot in Manitoba by Lord Dunraven. Il
year or so ago. He sent the dead animal
as Il present TO Blerstadt, the celebrated
painter. who had it brought to me To- be
stuffed. cut out the flesh and unjonted
the bones, and fonnd the bullet that killed
it buried behind the shoulder. Here is
the verv bullet. | always carry it with
me-" and he produced the flattened lead
from his Pocket. Then here is a mon
key" he continued, turning to large
specimen of that tribe, with long black
hair on his whole body except triangular
bare spot on his breast. There is
no other monkey OF this kind in America.
About thirty years ago four Of these mon
keys were brought to this country. They
are all dead now. and this is the only one
that has been preserved. Here is also n
robe of the royal Bengal tiger which we
dressed for Fifth Avenue furrier. 1t
will measure twelve feet from its nose to
the tip of its tail. That robe is worth two
hundred dollars if it is worth a cent. ",
Y. Tribune.
"Throw Physic TO the Dogs, III None of
it."
We 10 not feel like blaming Macbeth for