New-York tribune., 1907-09-22
GROUPED As IN LIFE.
Idrance of Artistic Bird Tarldermy
at Museum.

=, ,,o erort 70 reproduce bird life on this
,ort,nent exactly as it looks in nature, the
American Museum of Natural History IN lllS
city has sent out a number Of expeditions COM
r,oSed Of experts. These expeditions study ihe
habits and attitudes Of birds, sketch ana Iho'o-
graDh them, and return with the skins OF the
Young and old birds. the nests and eggs and
the trees, foliage and grasses surrounding llese-
II a nest is on the ground, at least several
SQUARE feet Of the sod surrounding 1t are care
f,,IIv taken up and removed to the museum.
where it is placed in a big exhibition case with
al Of the environment painted on surrounding
canvas and the birds are mounted and posed III
their favorite attitudes about the nest If the
nest is in a tree, ample section Of the tree
i removed to the museum with branches and
foliage The fidelity with which bird life is thus
duplicated in the museum is one of the m2rvels
of the day and forms one of the many features
which place this institution first in America, II
net in the world. OF these expeditions and res
torations one OF the experts says:
These groups are designed to show not only
the North American birds but panoramic back
grounds, painted from nature When COM
pleted we shall have a representation Of Amer
lean scenery, full Of beauty and educational
value Any one examining the paintings viii
receive = more or less definite impression Of the
Typography and appearance Of prairies, plains,
mountains deserts and marshes.
I'VE have penetrated the Bates F3ole region,
north Of Medicine Bow. with a prairie schooner
outfit IN Southern California we were aided
by a ranclman who was familiar with the rest
ing places Of the California condor. high in the
walls Of Piru Canyon Notwithstanding the
difficulties. we got up where the nests were.
artists and all, and viii some day have group
completed Of birds nests, a section OF the en-
vironnaent and reproduction Of the canyon in
painting. In the great tule lakes Of Oregon, on
the floating tule islands, got perhaps the last
view Of the immense nesting grounds there OF
the white pelicans. king billed gulls. Caspian
terms and great blue herons. The government
is retaining these lakes by drainage, and even
when we were there the work was well ad-
vanced. and soon alfalfa viii grow where the
birds raiszd their young Where they Will find
another resting place. free from predaceous
mammals, need not concern US more, as the
.,7,seuu1 is amply provided with all the region
rou1d contribute to science and exhibition In
the great cactus areas Of Arizona, while we en-
countered no Yaqui Indians, there were perhaps
worse drawbacks in prickIes, thirst and depriVa-
tons"
James D. Higgins. sculptura1 bird taxiderEnist
Of the department of preparation Of the ATneri-
can Museum, explains in an interesting way the
manner in which the new bird groups are
mounted He says:
We first 90 into the field and decide what
size the group is to be, then study the acces-
sories to be used and the attitudes Of the birds
that are adapted to the grouping While watch
irg the birds photographs and drawings are
made from time 10 time from which the mount
ing IS to be duplicated. Models are next made
Of the proposed group and studies in plaster
# there is q ground nest, a large section of the
ground around it IS taken UP without breaking;
Or if in tree all Of the tree is secured that can
be set UP in the museum
The limbs and sections Of earth are num-
bered SC they can be set up they were origi-
raIIy The vegetation and leaves to be used are
preserved in formaldehyde. and artificial dupli-
Gates are made. 4 plaster cast is made Of the
face Of the leaves. Sheet wax is then pressed
down on the plaster cast. Minute wires are
used for stems and are also laid over the veins
Of the leaves TO their tips.
Thin white cloth. which has been dipped in
wax is pressed over the bottoms of the arti-