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OF THE "WOKI/D'S INDUSTRY. 187
CHAPTER XXVI.
TAXIDERMY, AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL MODELS.
EGYPTIAN EMBALMERS—GREEKS AND ROMANS—THE CALEDONIAN BOAR—ANCIENT TEMPLES—
ITALIAN MUSEUMS----ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM—BBTTISH MUSEUM—ANCIENT AND MODERN TAXI-
DEBMY COMPABED—ELK FROM TURIN—THE DODO—BAETLETT—HANCOCK—THE HOODED
HAWK—THE COMBAT "WITH THE QUARRY—THE TROPICAL GROUP—GORDON—LEADBEATER----
WILLIAMS AND GARDINER—WUETEMBURG COLLECTION—HERMANN PLOTfCQUET—REYNARD THE
POX—ETHNOGRAPHICAL MODELS—MEXICAN AND AMERICAN INDIANS—THE JAMMA BUNDI—
MODELS OE KISHNAGHUR—HINDOOS—VARIOUS TRADES—THUGS—COURTS OP JUSTICE IN
INDIA—SILK FACTORY, ETC.—MALTESE COSTUMES—SPANISH BULL EIGHTS, ETC.
The art of stuffing animals is generally supposed to be an invention of modern date, and
to have originated about the period when the various museums of natural history were
founded in Europe. But traces of the art are to be discovered in the earliest records
of antiquity, although the methods then employed differ much from those now practised.
The procedure of the ancient Egyptians in embalming human remains and dead animals,
in some measure resembles the manipulations of the taxidermist • inasmuch as in both,
the parts peculiarly subject to decomposition are removed and replaced by more durable
materials. But whilst the Egyptian embalmer desired rather to preserve the substance
of the body than its form, the taxidermist sacrifices all, except the skin, to the obtaining
of a natural representation of the aspect of the living animal. The ancient Greeks
and "Romans, however, endeavoured to preserve the form, as well as the substance, of the
body j but their methods fulfilled the object very imperfectly. The ordinary proceeding
consisted in immersion in melted wax or in honey; this necessarily disguised the shape,
even though it remained unimpaired. Perhaps the best of the ancient methods for the
preservation of animal substances consisted in placing them in a solution of common
salt; which is still done, though for very different purposes. In this manner the sow,
which, by bringing forth a litter of thirty pigs, afforded a happy omen to iEneas, was
preserved by the priests; and it remained in such excellent preservation, that it was said
to have been in existence at Laviniura in the time of Varro. In the same way were
preserved two hippocentaurs (probably monstrous births), and also an ape, which, having
been sent by the Indians to the Emperor Constantius, happened to die on the road.
It appears to have been the business of the priests to preserve rare animals, or rare
natural specimens generally; and this was so prevalent, that we are almost tempted to
refer the origin of museums of natural history to the temples of antiquity. Indeed
Beckmann, in his History of Inventions,, quotes a number of instances which support this
view. And although it cannot be positively* asserted, from the notices in the Greek
and Latin authors, on the subject under review, that methods resembling those used
by the animal-stuffer were employed by the ancients; still the circumstance that animals
were frequently suspended in the temples, shows that they were not invariably preserved
* In cue of the epistles of Horace (Epist. lib. i., Epist 2, i., 65), addressed to Lollius, a passage is
met with, which has been generally construed into a knowledge of taxidermy among the ancients. The
words are—
" Venaticus, ex quo
Tempore cervinam pellem latravit in aula
Militat in silvis catulus."
Many interpretress cervina as a stuffed stag, placed in the hall, and barked at by the dog. This explana-
tion assumes that the ancients decorated their halls in such manner; like a modern hunting-box. The
passage is however, intelligible if we translate pettis cervina as the mere skin of the stag.
CHAPTER XXVI.
TAXIDERMY, AND ETHNOGRAPHICAL MODELS.
EGYPTIAN EMBALMERS—GREEKS AND ROMANS—THE CALEDONIAN BOAR—ANCIENT TEMPLES—
ITALIAN MUSEUMS----ASHMOLEAN MUSEUM—BBTTISH MUSEUM—ANCIENT AND MODERN TAXI-
DEBMY COMPABED—ELK FROM TURIN—THE DODO—BAETLETT—HANCOCK—THE HOODED
HAWK—THE COMBAT "WITH THE QUARRY—THE TROPICAL GROUP—GORDON—LEADBEATER----
WILLIAMS AND GARDINER—WUETEMBURG COLLECTION—HERMANN PLOTfCQUET—REYNARD THE
POX—ETHNOGRAPHICAL MODELS—MEXICAN AND AMERICAN INDIANS—THE JAMMA BUNDI—
MODELS OE KISHNAGHUR—HINDOOS—VARIOUS TRADES—THUGS—COURTS OP JUSTICE IN
INDIA—SILK FACTORY, ETC.—MALTESE COSTUMES—SPANISH BULL EIGHTS, ETC.
The art of stuffing animals is generally supposed to be an invention of modern date, and
to have originated about the period when the various museums of natural history were
founded in Europe. But traces of the art are to be discovered in the earliest records
of antiquity, although the methods then employed differ much from those now practised.
The procedure of the ancient Egyptians in embalming human remains and dead animals,
in some measure resembles the manipulations of the taxidermist • inasmuch as in both,
the parts peculiarly subject to decomposition are removed and replaced by more durable
materials. But whilst the Egyptian embalmer desired rather to preserve the substance
of the body than its form, the taxidermist sacrifices all, except the skin, to the obtaining
of a natural representation of the aspect of the living animal. The ancient Greeks
and "Romans, however, endeavoured to preserve the form, as well as the substance, of the
body j but their methods fulfilled the object very imperfectly. The ordinary proceeding
consisted in immersion in melted wax or in honey; this necessarily disguised the shape,
even though it remained unimpaired. Perhaps the best of the ancient methods for the
preservation of animal substances consisted in placing them in a solution of common
salt; which is still done, though for very different purposes. In this manner the sow,
which, by bringing forth a litter of thirty pigs, afforded a happy omen to iEneas, was
preserved by the priests; and it remained in such excellent preservation, that it was said
to have been in existence at Laviniura in the time of Varro. In the same way were
preserved two hippocentaurs (probably monstrous births), and also an ape, which, having
been sent by the Indians to the Emperor Constantius, happened to die on the road.
It appears to have been the business of the priests to preserve rare animals, or rare
natural specimens generally; and this was so prevalent, that we are almost tempted to
refer the origin of museums of natural history to the temples of antiquity. Indeed
Beckmann, in his History of Inventions,, quotes a number of instances which support this
view. And although it cannot be positively* asserted, from the notices in the Greek
and Latin authors, on the subject under review, that methods resembling those used
by the animal-stuffer were employed by the ancients; still the circumstance that animals
were frequently suspended in the temples, shows that they were not invariably preserved
* In cue of the epistles of Horace (Epist. lib. i., Epist 2, i., 65), addressed to Lollius, a passage is
met with, which has been generally construed into a knowledge of taxidermy among the ancients. The
words are—
" Venaticus, ex quo
Tempore cervinam pellem latravit in aula
Militat in silvis catulus."
Many interpretress cervina as a stuffed stag, placed in the hall, and barked at by the dog. This explana-
tion assumes that the ancients decorated their halls in such manner; like a modern hunting-box. The
passage is however, intelligible if we translate pettis cervina as the mere skin of the stag.