The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-12-29
THE NEWS COMPANY.

ana this method IL Low known as the
"Scott method OF determining the flight
of birds by night" So highly are Mr.
Scott's opinions valued upon matters per-
tanning to bircs that the British museuuu
recently bought a collection made by him,
of some $500 Florida birds, mt his own
valuation, and without even seeing the
coll lection.
II was here in Florida that the writer
met Mr.. Scott, surrounded by his collec-
tions and implements for stufilng and
Keeping the birds. For years Mr. Scott
has made as his speciality tho study Of
Florida birds and has been indefativa bic
In his efforts to make his collection conf
plete lie has now removed them TO his
home in Pocantico Hills, N. Y. The first
point which the visitor notices, on seeing
the collection, il the lifelike manner i'm
which the birds are mounted. Instead of
the conventional methods always en-
ployed heretofore by professional taxider-
mists, Mr.. Scott has brought out the pose
of the bird in actual life.
Nearly all collections Of birds which
have SO fer been made have been huilr I'm
upon an absolutely systematic basis. In
the collection proposed for Harvard. the
birds are to be rendered as lifelike ,,- noe.
sible--that IL TO say, artistic-while nt the
same time they shall lcsc nothing of their
scientific value. Heretofore the external
features OF the bird have been shown with
the name attached 10 each specimen, indi.
eating the species The specimens have
been displayed in rows, each one standing
on n perch made from turned wood and
Tshaped, either painted white Or else made
OF hard wood. vanished. Such n m;thod
has always limited the position in which
the bird could be placed. The visitors 20
museums have wondered why every bird
should be standing in just that particular
way, with both feet firmly planted upon
the perch, and looking for all the world rs
II he were one Of an army.
This is wholly CRITICAL, and I'm contra
distinction 20 IL birds should be mounted
on simple. natural accessories BY such n
method the warbler or the wren should be
shown naturally balanced upon the SWAY.
ing twig. and the woodpecker would be
clinging TO the trunk of tree; the gull's
environment would he n bit OF the sen.
shore, artilcially represented. So Il will
be seen that the idea Is for each bird 10 |
give glimpse Of the environment I'm which
IL lives. But these surroundings should
always be "a subordinate part Of the eyhi- /
bition, allowing the central figure of the |
specimen 20 be the conspicuous object.
The second point TO bring out IN this /
collection Is the effect of physical environ. /
mcnt on such species rs are now tniaratory
and range uninteruptedly over large geo /
graphical areas. This II 10 be done i'm con.
nection with and by the aid OF diaQramai-
10 maps. To illustrate what IL meant. tho
common quail rnnges from MassacL,,sataa
TO Florida and from the eastern coast "a
Dakota. Sportsmen who kill this bird IN
different parts OF the country have fire.
quently asked II they are different birds
and why those found Ia different pnrts of
the country are smaller or larger. darker
or lighter colored. as the caSe may be. at
The different points where they are en-
pountered