Amateur Fish Museums 161 



or ignored completely. No wonder amateur naturalists have 

 omitted fishes in their museums— there has been no encourage- 

 ment. 



The collection and preservation of fishes for amateur mu- 

 seums in nearly every part of the country is easy. The actual 

 collecting of specimens is fun, and the planning and execution 

 of fish exhibits can be interesting and educational. The project 

 is inexpensive. Every summer camp, school, boy-scout organ- 

 ization, and national park museum, regardless of the part of the 

 country where it is situated, should have an exhibition of at 

 least the local fishes. 



As soon as the fish exhibit has been allotted a certain section 

 in the nature museum— a room, cabin, tent, or any other type 

 of shelter— the first thought that comes to mind is mounted fishes, 

 and this is the point at which the fish exhibition idea is usually 

 discarded! Mounted fishes are not necessary, though the camp 

 or school class in crafts can be asked to join the project by mak- 

 ing plaster casts of the local fishes as described previously. An 

 easy, attractive, and interesting way of displaying fishes is to 

 place them individually in a liquid solution in jars. But, let us 

 start from the beginning. 



Collecting the Fishes 



Rod and Reel. First, and most important, the collection or 

 exhibition must start with local fishes. Lakes, streams, brooks, 

 ponds, brackish waters, and the seashore all have their share of 

 interesting kinds. Of course the most obvious specimens will 

 be fishes that are taken on rod and reel, so there is no problem 

 in securing these. Make an effort to catch at least one specimen 

 of all the known or common fishes. For example, when taking 

 lake fishes include even catfish and eels because, as I will point 

 out later, interesting exhibits can be formed with these also. 



Seining. After all the rod and reel fishes have been collected, 

 attention should be given to the lesser known types which can 

 be taken by other methods. Indiscriminate seining or trapping 

 of fishes, other than for bait, is prohibited bv law in most fresh 



