METHOD^ IIM THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 63 



in a day. If yon do yon will probably have to resort to Earl's Solution 

 for Keeping Bird S/cins So/t^ for which see page o!*. 



Reptiles. — The large reptiles shonld all be skinned as directed in 

 Chapter XIII, and the skins placed in the alcohol solution or in the 

 salt and alum bath. The smaller ones may be preserved entire in 

 spirits by making an opening along the abdomen so that tlie spirits 

 may have free action. For this purpose use the lead field-tank with 

 the salt and alum brine, or the copper tank with alcoholic solution. 

 The copper tank is made precisely like the lead tank described in 

 foot-note on page 61, 



Fishes. — h^ishes should be preserved in brine and in alcohol in the 

 same manner as the reptiles — the larger ones should be skinned com- 

 pletely and put in brine. The smaller ones are better preserved entire 

 in the alcohol solution, as directed on page 45, and as described in 

 Chapter XIII. 



There is no one, so far as I am aware, who has surpassed Prof. J. 

 S. Wiley in collecting and preserving reptiles and ^s\\qs in the field. 

 While he constantly attended fish markets he was usually the fisher- 

 man himself. Upon capturing a fish he would make a water-color 

 sketch of it, reproducing in the most artistic style every color in the 

 fish which had just been caught. His plan was to immediately make 

 an outline of the fish and paint its actual colors in this outline. Let 

 every collector of fishes follow his example. To be a successful col- 

 lector of reptiles and fishes you mtcsi learn to paint in colors the tints 

 which so quickly fade. It is one of the best accomplishments you can 

 acquire. 



After making a color-sketch of the specimen to be preserved Prof. 

 Wiley's first procedure was to clean the whole fish with a solution of 

 spirits of turpentine and alum. This was done by washing the entire 

 surface with a stiff brush until the mucus on the fish disappeared. 

 See Chapter XIII. 



