A pair of stuffed pike, mounted in a glass case, with artistic surroundings of reeds and stones, was sold recently in England for £2,070. They were caught on January 8th, 1898. "But taxidermy isn't what it was, said an ancient, who remembers in his grandfather's house a similar glass, case containing, as far as he, could recall, a pair of squirrels (red, of course) flanking a pair of kingfishers perched each on its own branch while over all wings outspread, hovered a hawk. Which particular kind hawk, he didn't remember. Years afterward's he enquired of an aunt what had happened to it, to be told that there was a decent poor fellow who came around from time to time collecting junk, and she gave it to him. It was so old fashioned, she said. Of course. Nowadays, with television and the long focus lens of even modest cameras and, generally, a more civilised or urban outlook to say nothing of the various Wild life Acts stuffed owls or jays or other birds are not looked on with favour as home decoration.
Natural history museums are a different matter. And fish are a different matter, too. You come across the biggest trout, or the biggest salmon or the biggest something else or just a big one caught by some previous guest, preferably in the hall of many an Irish sporting hotel. Good taxidermists were good naturalists, too. They knew the typical action of a bird, the exact colour of the eyes. And all are not gone. For, while the Wildlife Acts and changing attitudes, have reduced demand, you may still have mounted game birds which may legally be shot. Also, on occasion, dead birds found after a road accident, say.
Looking through books written a century ago or so, you might wonder why many people, who regarded themselves as scientific naturalists, who listed categories haunting various areas, who encouraged study of the wild, so often shot rare species.
Probably simply to establish identity. No long range cameras then, or none that were portable. And, again, to make available to the museum.
A book edited by F. J. Bigger in 1902 A Guide to Belfast and Down and Antrim on behalf of the Belfast Naturalists Club, contains a mine of information, including the fact that in 1600 Belfast boasted of but five streets, composed of thatched houses...