no 



HA RD WICKE'S S CI EN CE- G OS SIP. 



cast shows them as when the fisfe is swimming (see 

 fig. 8 1). 



By means of a knife it will be easy to undercut the 

 back of the expanded fins, or to loosen and cause to 

 stand out any part of the cast that may require it. 

 The entire cast of plaster, say to take the case of a 

 five-pound Codfish or Salmon, will not cost more 

 than sixpence. What is to be noted is, that fish are 

 as fit for the table, after having had their likenesses 

 taken as they were before ! 



And now comes the cplouring of the cast — a more 

 difficult, because a more artistic operation, but not half 

 so difficult as would be at first supposed. Although 

 the natural colours of our native fishes are given in 

 such works as those of Yarrell, yet it is best for the 

 student to note the distribution and tone of the colours 

 before he commences to take a mould of his fish. 

 This he can readily do by drawing a rough pencil 

 outline of the fish, and then marking on it the colour, 

 and what depth and tone. We have found these 

 outline sketches quite enough, with the help of 

 Yarrell and a good memory, to colour a cast twelve 

 months after making it. Moreover, it forces the 

 student to be particular and careful, and he is the 

 gainer therefrom. The colours of fishes are apt 

 to be taken from their appearance on fish-stalls. No 

 mistake could be greater. If we are obliged to eat 

 fishes, there is no reason why we should libel them 

 as well ! The black-leaded tints and shades of a 

 herring which has been lying a couple of days on a 

 stall, are quite different from the prismatic colours it 

 had when first taken out of the water. We prefer 

 colouring them according to nature, rather than after 

 the dictation of the fishmonger ; and as the colours 

 are brighter, the effect is more artistic. 



The proper colours of the eyes, fins, &c, should be 

 first attended to. We always use water-colours, and 

 prefer them to oils. The water-colours should be 

 mixed with a little ox-gall to make them flow better. 

 A wetted flannel by one's side enables us at once to 

 rub out an error. Sufficient colour to spread over the 

 fish must be mixed at first, and a bushy camel-hair 

 pencil employed to distribute the colour. Such spots 

 as those on the Homelyn Ray are easily made by 

 rubbing the ground colour lighter, and then sur- 

 rounding each spot with a ring of darker pigment. 

 You lay on the colours and shades of the back of 

 the fish in successive tones, until you get them deep 

 enough. If possible have a fresh fish before you 

 when colouring the cast, so as to get the tints, shades, 

 spots, and other markings quite correctly. Notice 

 the difference (often the only external means of 

 identifying them) between the colours of the male 

 and female fishes, as in the Mackerel for instance. 

 The delicate prismatic tints of the silvery-white belly 

 are the most difficult to imitate ; and the student 

 gives up in despair the attempt to reproduce the 

 more than silvery glint of the lower parts of the body. 

 Still, a few endeavours to rub in alternately streaks 



of lake, blue, and yellow succeed in forming a not 

 bad imitation. We have found that a few drops of 

 common writing-ink, diffused in a quantity of water, 

 enabled us to reproduce the silvery and steely 

 glint of the belly better than anything else. The 

 student should always have plenty of the fragments 

 of the broken mould by him, to try his colours upon 

 before transferring them to his cast. 



At last the cast is coloured satisfactorily. It must 

 now be laid by for a day or two, until the water from 

 the colours has been given out. Then it should be 

 sized with a thickish solution of the best and clearest 

 glue, and put away again for some time. At length 

 it is brought out for the last time, and painted with a 

 thickish coat of transparent copal or coach-varnish. 

 This gives to the coloured cast a wonderfully moist 

 and fish-like look, and no mould or other fungus ever 

 attacks this varnish, as it does glue. The background 

 may now be painted a deep Wedgwood blue, so as 

 to represent water, and at the same time throw forth 

 the coloured fish into strong and prominent relief. 



If the coloured cast is intended to ornament a 

 room, the background must be set in a wooden frame- 

 work, with glass sides, top, bottom, and front (as in 

 ordinary stuffed - animal cases) : these protect the 

 specimens from dust, and the operator may thus 

 adorn his hall or study with exact and artistic models. 

 It will have been seen that there is nothing whatever, 

 either of dirt or labour, to prevent ladies from en- 

 gaging in what we guarantee will prove to them a 

 most pleasant and profitable recreation. 



For such small fishes as sprats, minnows, whitebait, 

 &c, it will be advisable to make the moulds of the 

 same materials as those composing printers' rollers ; 

 that is, half in weight of common glue and common 

 treacle. These are boiled together until a uniform 

 liquid is produced, which may then be kept fluid by 

 placing the pot containing it in a pan of boiling water, 

 just as carpenters keep their glue-kettles. This hot 

 mixture is then poured over such a picturesque little 

 heap of whitebait or sprats as would make, say, a 

 decent handful. Of course it takes the impression of 

 the mass, and of every individual fish it covers. The 

 mould is then to be turned the other side up, and the 

 fishes carefully picked out one by one. At length the 

 last is picked out, and a perfect mould of the heap 

 remains. This must be cast in plaster of Paris, where 

 no difficulty remains in undercutting (as would be if 

 the mould had been made of plaster), for the soft 

 gelatinous mould can be picked out with a penknife, 

 and the small fishes thus form a loose, pretty heap. 

 They must then be coloured when ready, and the 

 background tinted blue, as above suggested. 



For casting large fish more than one pair of hands 

 may be required, as the plaster soon sets when mixed. 

 Only two qualities are required to be successful in 

 fish-casting, — patience and perseverance. If those 

 who attempt to carry out the experiment possess them, 

 they will succeed ; if they have them not, they may, 



