THE EXHIBiriOX OF FISHES 



175 



give an adeciuate representation of the animal in lifelike pose and colors, 

 were it not for a single and fatal objection: the "fish" is after all only a 

 model, and we have sometimes a suspicion tliat it Ix-longs in a museum not 

 of natural history, but of art. The best result is clearly forthcoming when 

 some method is discovered which will make it practicable to retain the 

 actual skin of the fish yet give it lifelike contour, texture and colors. Efforts 

 in this direction have not been lacking in the department of preparation; 

 and especially successful are the results obtained by IVIessrs. Franklin and 

 West, who have shown a friendly ri\alry in their work. It was found first 

 of all that only those fishes could be well mounted which were freshly killed, 

 for the slightest drying or decomposition alters at once the colors and tex- 

 ture of the skin. The best specimens have been prepared in the following 

 way: a mold of the fish is first cast in plaster; the skin is then removed 

 and placed in the freshly made mold. A preparation is next introduced 

 which presses the skin against the mold, or matrix, filling out the skin com- 

 pletely. By this means the skin when dried retains exact contours. The 

 preparation is final- 

 ly colored, wher- 

 e\er practicable af- 

 ter the living fish. 

 By these proce- 

 dures [1910-1911 1 a 

 large number of 

 specimens of fishes 

 ha\e been phiced 

 on \iew in the ga 

 lery of recent fishes. 

 Thev include a 



The first .stage in preparing a (isii mount. >[r. n.viglit Franklin has partly 

 enibecided one side of a sturgeon in rlay. and is eoverintr the exposed side witli i)hister 



