Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-05-11
TAxIDERMY,
NH Nye's Opinion Of an Ancient and
Highly Inatrvctiva Rclance.

Dm Nye's Opinion OF an Ancient and
Highly Instructive Science.
This name is from two Greek words,
which signify arrangement" and
"skin," So that the ancient Greeks no
doubt regarded taxidermy as the origin
al skin-game ofthatp period. Taxidermy
did not flourish in America prior to the
year 1928. At that time an Englshman
named Scudder established museum
and general repository for upholstered
beasts.
Since then the art has advanced quite
rapidly. To properly taxiderm requires
fine taste and a close study Of the sub
jeut itself in life, akin to the require
ments necessary in order to succeed as
sculptor. | have seen taxidermed
animals that would not fool anybody. ]
recall at this time especiallya mountain
lion, stuffed after death by party who
had not made this matter subject of
close study. This lion was represented
in crouching attitude, with open jaws
and red gums. As time passed on and
year succeeded year, this lion continued
to crouch. His tall became less rampant
and dropped like hired man Oh hot
day. His gums became less fiery red,
and his reddish skin hung over his bones
in loose and distraught manner, like
an old buffalo robe thrown over the
knees Of vinegary old maid. Spiders
spun their webs across his dull, white
fnngs. Mice made their nests in his
abdominal cavity. His glass eye be-
came hopelcssly strabimused, and the
moths left him bald-headed on the
stomach. He was sad commentary
on the extremely transitory nature of all
things terrestrial and the hollowness OF
the stuffed beast.
/ also had a stuffed bird for long
time, which showed the cunning of the
stutler to a great degree. 1t afforded
me great zeal of unalloyed pleasure,
because | liked to get old hunters to
look at 1t and tell me what kind of 9
bird it was They did not generally
agree. A bitter and acrimonious fight
grew out of a discussion in relation to
this bird. A man from Vinegar Hill
named Lyons, and party called Soiled
Murphy (since deceased) were In my
Office one mOrning-Mr. Lyons as a
witness, and Mr.. Murphy in his great
speciality as o drunk and disorderly
We had just disposed of the case, and |
had Just stepped down from the bench,
intending to take off the judicial ermine
and put some more coal in the stove,
when the attention of Soiled Murphy
was attracted to the bird. lie allowed
that it was a common "hell-diver with
an abnormal head, while Lyons claimed
that it was a kingfsher.
The bird had ducks body, the head
of common eagle, and the feet Of a
sage hen. These parts had been ad-
justed with great care and the tail load
ed with lead somehow, so that the
powerful head would not tip the bird up
behind. With this rara avis, to use a
foreign term, | loved to amuse and in
struct old hunters who had been hunting
all their lives for a free drink, and hear
them tell how they had killed hundreds
of these birds over on the Poudre in an
early day, or over near Elk Mountain
when the country was new.
So Lyons claimed that he had killed
millions of these fowls, and Soiled
Murphy, who was known as the tomato
can savant of that country, said that be-
fore the Union Pacific railroad got into
that section, the birds swarmed around
Hutton's lakes and lived on horned
toads.
The feeling got more and more parti-
san, till Mr.. Lyons made pass at Soiled
Murphy with large red cuspadore that
had been presented to me by Valentine
Baker, dealer in abandoned furniture
and mines. Mr.. Murphy then welted
Lyons over the head with the judicial
scales. He then adriotly caught lump
of bituminous coal with his countenance
and fell to the floor with a low cry OF
pain.
l called in an outside party as witness,
and in the afternoon both men were
convicted of assault and battery. Soiled
Murphy asked for change of venue on
the ground that was prejudiccd. told
him that 1 did not allow any thing
whatever to prejudice me, and went on
with the case.
This great taxldermic masterpiece led
to another assault afterward, all Of
which proved remunerative in a small
way. My successor claimed that the
bird was part of the perquisites Of the
office, and so had to turn 1t over with
the docket.
also had q stuffed weasel from Cum
minis City that attracted a great deal o.
attention, both in this country and in
Europe. 1t looked some like wease
and some like an equestrian sausage
with hair on in Y Mprcuru