The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1888-01-07
TAXIDERMY.
The Art of Stufing Birds and
Animals.
The Entertaining Talk Of a New
York TaxidermiSt.

on Wliusmb StIcct, sSys sAo AVG" AOA
News. Among them il one Of tho larg-
est Of the bsld-hesded eagles ever shot.
His wings were outstretched and his
talons fastened into the branch of tree.
He was shot BY Capt. Lynch, who runs
the steamboat New York between this
city and Newburg on Sundays. Last
year he killed twenty bald-headed
eagles. shooting five in one day. He
used to put out meat about . month be-
fore he tried to shoot the birds in spot
where he knew they would find it At
first they were very shy; but - time
passed AID they got their meat regular
" and were not disturbed, they became
quite tame. So when the breeding Sea-
son was over the captain would take his
gun, 20 out in the mountains and never
return without an eagle.
ut is funny" said the ta1idermist
yesterday, show the birds come in to
be mounted. For instance, to-day they
will all be canaries; the next day may
bring lot Of meadow lsrks or high
holders and so on
"In this country it is quite the fashion
for private individuals to decorate their
houses with pretty birds. Sometimes
Fashion says that hawks are the proper
thing, and we have to ransack the coun-
try for hawks. Again, owls are too
lovely Cor anything, and the poor hawks
have to 90 and perch in some secluded
corner while Mr.. Owl has his day e;
though, if you gave him his choice, he
would prefer the night. Last summer
it was quite the thing to have large
crane, with his wings upliftcd, serve as
screen.
'Besides the majority of people who
care only for a bird or two for display,
there are few who make large collec-
tions of birds. A Mr.. Lawrence, Wall
street broker, has over 1, 800 different
species of American birds and is adding
to it constantly. Another gentleman, a
Wall street lawyer of the same name,
has a large collection of Abino birds.
/ have sold him white sparrows, white
quail, white crows, and whenever a
white bird comes to me all have to do
is to send him word and purchaser is
Immediately Forthcoming for the Albino.
'In continental Europe the people
never buy birds for themselves. The
state does that for them. Here, how
ever, were it not for private patronage
we taxidermists would have to go out Of
business"
This dealer had in stock fully 300 diff
ferent species of humming birds. Some
were of the most brilliant purple plu-
mage; others sported a most striking
red attire. Birds of paradise were
there, too, in abundance, with their
beautiful plumage and long, waving
feathers. Tyre birds. with their feath-
ers arranged like harp, he had by the
score.
Then, too, rare and beautiful animals
of every sort kept staring one in the
face. Here was tiger that had an ant
bear in its grasp. Under glass case
were lot of frogs on skates. represent
ing a scene in Central Park Lake during
the skating season. Perhaps the finest
thing of all was a boar hunt, consisting
of group of two bears and seven dogs.
On the back of one of the bears was u
ferocious dog trying to get hold of the
boar's ear. The boar seemed to be wild
with rage, and was trying to get at an
other dog right in front of him, while
the latter was doing his level best to
keep out of the way. Another dog had
the boar by the leg, while his compan-
ion was trying to get in some fine work
on the boar's ribs. The other boar
seemed to be at bay, and the rest of the
dogs were standing little way from
him, evidently perfectly willing to keep
their distance.
Besides these groups there were deers
that had just been mounted for a New
York sportsman. Stretched out on the
floor was the skin of man eating tiger,
soon to be mounted. This tiger was a
monster, and had the reputation OF
killing dozen persons before he was
shot.
In fact, in this one unpretending store
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