Manual of Taxidermy - A Complete Guide in Collecting and Preserving Birds and Mammals

by Charles Johnson Maynard

This vintage book contains a complete guide to taxidermy, with information on skinning, stuffing, mounting, and preserving a variety of mammals and birds. Written in simple, pain language and profusely illustrated, this timeless handbook is ideal for the novice and would make for a valuable addition to collections of allied literature. Contents include: "Collecting," "Trapping, etc.," "Shooting," "Procuring Birds," "Care of Specimens," "Skinning Birds," "Ordinary Method," "Exceptions to the usual Method of Skinning," "Ascertaining the Sex of Birds," "Preserving Skins," "Other Methods of Preserving Skins," "Cleaning Feathers," "Making Skins of Long-necked Birds," et cetera. Many vintage books such as this are increasingly scarce and expensive. We are republishing this volume now in an affordable, modern edition complete with a specially commissioned new introduction on taxidermy.

140 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1883

About the author

Charles Johnson Maynard (May 6, 1845 – October 15, 1929) was an American naturalist and ornithologist born in Newton, Massachusetts. He was a collector, a taxidermist, and an expert on the vocal organs of birds. In addition to birds, he also studied mollusks, moss, gravestones and insects. He lived in the house at 459 Crafts Street in Newton, Massachusetts, built in 1897 and included in the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 as the Charles Maynard House. The Charles Johnson Maynard Award is given out by the Newton Conservators, Inc.

Reviews

[Kathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Now comes the most difficult part of the task of mounting. Hitherto all has been merely mechanical; certain rules had to be observed only. But now the instructor must pause for want of words wherewith to express his meaning, for who can tell an artist how to put in those bold and hasty strokes with which he maps out his picture?" (71)

[Jane Butane · Rating 3 out of 5]

The description of preserving small birds was fantastic and very useful.

[Eric Wurm · Rating 4 out of 5]

A historical, not modern book. It's interesting to read historical techniques, but if you are looking for an instruction book, get something more modern.

[Bettelu · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slightly outdated. Pls don’t actually use this as a guide for making taxidermy nowadays. A lot of rules and regulations have changed :P

Tho it’s still fun to read how they used to do taxidermy