SCIENTIFIC TAXIDERMY FOR MUSEUMS. 399 



they have been concerned principally with the work of that nature, done 

 by the U. S. Fish Commission, much of which was accomplished with 

 the view of having it exhibited at the World's Columbian Exposition. 

 In this connection my thanks are due Dr. Tarleton II. Bean for the use 

 of a series of photographs of the results of such methods and other 

 processes. These, unfortunately, with the single exception of the Opah, 

 were taken too small to be used here, and as the originals had been for- 

 warded to Chicago, it was too late to have them photographed of a 

 larger size. My thanks are also due to Mr. Denton for his kindness in 

 showiugme his method of reproducing specimens of fish and reptiles by 

 the plastic method from casts made in plaster, and for submitting to 

 me for examination specimens of his work after they had been painted 

 and prepared for final exhibition. It would be difficult to overestimate 

 the value of this kind of work, and the field is a broad one, full of 

 importance and interest to the art student in taxidermy. 



Specimens of many species offish made according to such processes 

 bear very close resemblance to the living types, so much so that pho- 

 tographs of the two are scarcely to be distinguished. This may best 

 be appreciated by an examination of the specimen in the U. S. Fish 

 Commission, or the reduced photograph which that institution has of 

 the plastic cast of the Opah, from a specimen taken upon our own 

 coasts. Its peculiar form and high coloring rendered it a specially fine 

 subject for the skill of the person who reproduced it. Ichthyologists 

 have always expressed great interest in this member of the finny king- 

 dom, and if the digression be not considered too great, I will quote 

 here what Mr. Goode has said of it in The Fishery Industries of the 

 ITnited States (p. 335). According to this distinguished authority, the 

 Opah family, or the Lamprididce, " is represented in the Atlantic by a 

 single species, Lampris guttata*, a pelagic fish, which appears to be 

 more abundant in the deep waters of northern seas than elsewhere. It 

 has been observed at many points upon the Norwegian coast, about 

 Iceland and Madeira, as well as in the Mediterranean, but is of unusual 

 occurrence everywhere, except perhaps about Madeira. On the coast 

 of England it is one of the great rarities, and is much sought for by col- 

 lectors on account of its beauty. It is said to be one of the most bril- 

 liantly colored fishes known — 'red and. green, with tints of purple and 

 gold dotted over with silvery round spots. Iris of the eye is scarlet, 

 and fins of lively red.' A specimen was obtained years ago near Sable 

 Island, Nova Scotia, and the species will doubtless be found still nearer 

 our shores. It is said that no young specimens have yet been seen. 

 The species attains the length of 4 feet aud more, and is said to be very 

 excellent eating." 



Everything that has been said above in regard to the various methods 

 employed in times past, as well as at present, for the preservation of 

 fishes for exhibition in zoological museums and elsewhere applies with 

 equal truth to reptiles. The day has apparently fully arrived when 



