THE OOLOGIST. 



13 



A Few Sug-g-estions for the Prepara- 

 tion of Trophies. 



Having been an enthusiastic taxider- 

 mist and collector for many years, it 

 follows that I have preserved many 

 specimens of the forest, field and stream 

 as trophies. It has occurred to me that 

 a few suggestions on the preservation 

 of objects of natural history might not 

 go amiss, and perhaps be appreciated 

 by your readers. If acceptable, a series 

 of short articles will be presented upon 

 this subject, so that those who wish 

 may save their trophies of the outing. 

 In my travels the fact has been repeat- 

 edly brought to my notice that but very 

 few of the heads and horns, fish heads, 

 and feathered game are preserved, even 

 where the specimens are easy to secure, 

 and where the trophies would assist in 

 decoration and to blazon the glory of a 

 locality or resort. It can not be under- 

 stood by one interested in our animals, 

 fish and birds why hunters, anglers and 

 outers do not preserve the beautiful 

 plumage of their game birds and the 

 big pike and trout. 



Short directions will be given for the 

 preservation of fish heads. Any fish 

 can be preserved in a very few minutes 

 so that it will last a thousand years by 

 the simple introduction of a small quan- 

 tity of my preservative compound ; but 

 if a good specimen is desired a greater 

 amount -of attention is necessary. It is 

 not best to attempt an entire fish the 

 first time, but the head may be easily 

 and satisfactorily preserved Cut the 

 head off just back of the gills, where it 

 is usually divided when dressed, and 

 remove the flesh that can be easily cut 

 out, also the eyes. If the head is large 

 it is better to cut out some pieces of 

 flesh along the inside of the jaws, which 

 may be easily done, and the slit sewed 

 up later. These slits should be cut on 

 the inside of the mouth so that they will 

 not show, and this method of working 

 on the inside should always be followed. 

 Now rub the inside of the mouth, eye- 

 sockets and all the denuded parts where 

 the flesh was removed with the pre- 

 servative compound, and it is better to 

 force some into the brain through the 

 spinal hollow if the fish weighs ten 

 pounds or more. Your head is now 

 preserved and will last a thousand 

 years, and will ke«p out doors as well 

 as in the house. It can not spoil, for it 

 is as fully preserved as an Egyptian 

 mummy. Most anglers wish to pre- 

 serve their heads in better form, and in 



following this out you may spend as 

 much time as you wish, and I may add 

 you will not regret the time spent if 

 you have a head worth saving. We 

 will suggest that you have a pike's 

 head. Cut out a piece of board, better 

 half-inch stuff, of the size of space at 

 back of head where cut off, and tack in 

 this piece as a foundation, and it will 

 support the head and fit on the wall 

 when you hang up the work. Next 

 stuff out the jaws to the required extent 

 with hay, excelsior or rags, get a pair 

 of fish glass eyes and place them in 

 sockets with puttv, and hang up the 

 head on the wall to dry. After it is dry, 

 say from a week to a month, remove 

 the stuffing, wash off, paint if desired 

 and varnish if vou wish to have a fresh 

 appearance. The tishey smell will stick 

 to the head for a fortnight or more and 

 will last a month more to an extent, 

 but will then pass away forever, and 

 you will have a trophy which will grace 

 any apartment devoted to specimens, 

 sportsmens' accouterments Of course 

 this is the work in the rough, but it is 

 sufficient to succeed in all cases and all 

 anglers may preserve their heads by 

 this means. A head mounts d in this 

 manner will last forever, even if it is 

 hung up out of doors, as I can prove in 

 many instances where specimens have 

 been left out. These fish, birds and an- 

 imals have been tested in this manner 

 all over the Union and are at the pres- 

 ent time to be found exposed to the ele- 

 ments all over the country. 



Morris Gibbs, M. D. 



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