190 How To Make Fish Mounts 



brought ashore. Second best is to freeze the fish as soon as 

 possible (see Chapter 1). Every museum mount should be 

 cast in a durable synthetic. Even skins of fishes that are dif- 

 ficult to obtain should never be mounted. Instead, the skin 

 should be filled and modeled as accurately as possible to its 

 former shape. A mold is made of it and then cast in one of the 

 new plastic-like materials. Incidentally, this is also an excellent 

 way to save old mounts of skin specimens. Model the shrunken 

 head, lips, etc., with modeling clay; and then proceed with the 

 molding as if the fish were a fresh specimen. 



Foreign Shipping, Materials, and Customs. The entire pro- 

 cedure of molding fish in the field is not as difficult as it may 

 appear. I have made molds of fishes, varying in size from a %- 

 pound snapper to a manta ray weighing 3,300 pounds, on distant 

 beaches around the world, in Africa, Alaska, New Zealand, 

 South America, etc. Every mold arrived in excellent condition 

 at Yale University. Since my methods have evolved over the 

 years— mostly by trial and tribulation— I am sure that curators, 

 preparators, and others doing this type of field work will find the 

 following information of unusual value. 



If the expedition is to take place outside the shores of the 

 United States, be sure to secure all of the supplies here. Ship 

 them by freighter to their destination. I purchased plaster of 

 Paris, of a foreign make, in another country and regretted it. 

 The plaster was inferior, and I had a bad time trying to produce 

 first-class molds. Only No. 1 molding plaster should be used. 

 I have experienced this type of exasperation several times; there- 

 fore, regardless of what fine reports I may receive concerning 

 availability of supplies in remote areas, I disregard them and 

 ship plaster, sisal, pipe, Formalin, tools, wire— everything. 

 Sometimes the heavy material such as plaster can be purchased 

 and shipped from a point closer to its port of embarkation, but 

 this procedure also presents complications. 



Through correspondence, or better yet through an agent, 

 make contact with customs officials at the point of arrival in the 

 foreign country and with the customs people in the United 



