Museums of Natural History 195 



ideal for the purpose. This pipe is strong but light in weight 

 and can be cut easily with an ordinary hack saw. Also, it can 

 be bent without trouble to fit roughly into the outside contours 

 of the mold. The pipe is attached to the mold by spots of sisal 

 dipped in plaster, in three or four places along each piece. 

 Both sides of the mold are treated in this manner. 



When the mold has set and the fish removed, the halves are 

 placed together and tied with a piece of strong wire at each end. 

 A mold of this type is surprisingly strong, but do not give it 

 unnecessary abuse. 



Crating Molds. A local carpenter should be employed to 

 start crating the molds before the expedition has terminated 

 because the procedure requires time and supervision. If two 

 or three small molds are packed in one crate, they should be 

 supported with wooden crossbars and wedges so that no damage 

 occurs from contact between them during shipment. 



Allow the molds to dry out as much as possible in the open 

 air or in a shelter which has its windows or doors open during 

 the day. In British Guiana, where it rained almost every 

 night during our stay, I had my native assistants on a schedule, 

 carrying the molds into the protection of a shanty toward night- 

 fall. They returned them outdoors, to the sunshine, in the 

 morning. Molds lose a great deal of weight when the moisture 

 leaves them; dry molds are not only easier to handle but the 

 shipping bill will be much less. Air freight, of course, is charged 

 by weight. Cargo vessels, according to their shipping formulas, 

 usually charge by whatever is greater— the size of the crate or 

 its weight. 



Setting the Fish for Molding. When preparing the fish for 

 molding, natural turns and twists can be easily incorporated 

 into the body by shoveling sand into strategic places under the 

 fish. Producing a good mold is a mechanical affair; anyone who 

 has the ability to work with his hands and who does not mind 

 working like a dog under uncomfortable conditions can learn 

 to construct them in the field. However, manipulating the 



