The Washington times., 1901-07-28
REPRODUCED FROM NATURE.

kEPKODUCED FROM NATURE.
Work will go on all summer In the
taxidermists' laboratories OF the Smith,
sonian Institution on a number Of new
bird and mammal groups to be exhibited
in the fall. In the compositions now under
construction. preparation OF the back
grounds and accessories will take about
as much time and receive just as careful
attention as the mounting OF the speci-
mems to DE represented
The collector of the specimens is usual
ly the man who makes sketches. notes,
or photographs for the surroundings.
1t is the rule. when possible, to include
In the glass case an actual section of
nature. Birds nests are thus always
taken in stu. When the immediate sur
roundings are unattractive. or for any
reason unavailable, II is allowable to take
plants or shrubs from near by but noun
tain species must not be represented on
n plain or vice versa. II took six months
to put up moose group, and of this time
more than half was spent on the acces-
sories.
1t Is a common impression that the
foliage used in many OF the museum
groups Is natural; in othsr words. that
living. green plants have been soaked or
treated in some mysterious solution.
which Keeps them forever fresh and firm.
This Is not the case. Except for some
OF the evergreens. all the living foliage
and blossoms have been reproduced in
wax Even on very close Inspection
through the glass, some OF this work al
-rsst defies detection. The locust flowers
In the fiyins-squirrel group. and the trail
ing vines in the pelican group, have been
especially admired. One OF the groups
now being made is to contain a cluster
of Wild fieur de lis. and these flowers.
which are already finished, will doubtless
attract attention. Making leaves, like
everything else. is simple enough when
the operator knows how.
First of all, samples OF the genuine
leaves are gathered, and from them
molds are made by poring on spoonfuis-
of plaster Of paris. just as 1t is about to
harden. the leaf being held lightly in the
paii:. of the hand, creased or curied, OF
bent. just as it came from the stem. In
order to avoid noticeable repetitions of
the same form It Is usual to make as
many as thirty molds for leaves Of as
sorted sizes for the making of a single
branch or shrub. About 300 different
molds were made for the autumn leaves
which cover the bottom of the case in the
big moose GROUP. After the fat moIds
are ready, pieces Of silk gauze (crepe de
hsse). dipped in melted wax Of the proper
color fgreen, of course, for living leaves).
are pressed against the face of the molds
with the fingers.
Thus they take perfect impression of
every vein. curve, and blemish of the
original leaf. Over this Is laid a fine wire
for the midrib and over this in turn a
thin sheet of colored wax for the other
face of the leaf. The edges are then cut
out with scissors and cemented together
by being rolled with the head of a Iady's
hat pin. When necessary the surface is
then painted. The amount of work in
ve!ved In large group can be inferred
from the fact that every blade of grass
must be treated individually. even to the
scratching of its surface with fine nee
Hes to make the parallel veins. Each
blade has a wire at its base to be stuck
nto the sod. 1t is found that much fewer
blades than in nature are required for a
given area.
Flowers are made up and painted by
hand. while fruits and berries are
.ast in plaster one by one, colored and
'ary. 1t is Interesting TO contrast these
methods with those OF the old-fashioned
axidermists, and, in fact, the greater
lumber Of them today use the flowers and
Is accessories in their groups. The cases
If stuffed birds all perched at regular
intervals on the equidistant twigs of per-
ectly symmetrical trees, which used to
Idorn country parlors, are In point.
Genuine rocks of any size are extremely
leavy and unwieldy. though there Is no
question, of course, of their permanence
When once in place. Papier mache over
will 10
,est substitute. For the rocks on which
he duck hawks nest is situated in the
museum group. molds were taken in
'laSter of every portion of the rock to
e copied. From these casSs were made
n papier mache and the slabs fitted,
astened together, and colored. Banks or
urfaces Of earth or sand are also made
m a hollow base. Natural branches,
rec trunks, logs, dead leaves, and grass
an all be used.
The expedients TO produce special or
nusual effects are various. and new ones
re constantly being devised. For in
tance, glass was always used to repre-
ent stagnant water, until a short time
go. 1t was an excellent substitute. but
had two defects. 1t was a little too
lear for turbid or discolored water, and
was very hard to arrange any objects
hat were to project above the surface, as
nimals swimming, reeds, or rocks. Trans
aren't celluloid, which can be tinted Just
S it is wanted. and cut readily without
rack!ng, has solved both these difficult
es. - Paraffin represents opaque ice very
'ell, as in the Labrador duck group.
here it is supplemented by tiny drops
glass, like spray, on the birds wings,
nd casing of partly broken glass
round the stems of grasses. In the group
New York weasels in winter dress.
now and hoar frost were initiated sue
essfully by dipping hairbrush in melted
araffin and striking it in such a way
lat the wax flew in spray of fine flakes.
as they fell upon the logs and
Ibbish already arranged in the case. A
'ail of footprints behind each animal
)mpletes the wintry effect. In the next
ise, the Virginia deer are represented as
landing on a carpet of dead leaves.
amp, and on the point of rotting into
af-mold. The vet effect was produced
y soaking the leaves in glyeerine, which
ever dries up.
THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE.