METHODS IN THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 



289 



over with a soft brush. This should be done very carefully, as other- 

 wise it is almost impossible to avoid giving a streaked appearance to 

 the animal. Crustaceans may be mounted either on plain pedestals or 

 on artificial rock-work, according to the purpose they are to serve, and 

 in any case they should be kept out of the dust so far as possible, 

 since, owing to their fragile nature, they are very difficult to clean," 



Fishes. — We shall take for our first attempt in the skinning and 

 mounting of fishes a bass or a common red-horse. The principles upon 

 which these are skinned and mounted will apply, with slight modifi- 

 cation, to all others.' 



The first thing to be done in order to keep the scales intact and to 

 keep them from curling is to cover the entire fish ( excepting the fins ) 

 with tough linen writing paper or thin muslin. The mucus on the 

 fish, like glue, is usually sufficient to hold this firmly. The fins, tail 

 (or caudal fin) should be kept damp with wet cloths until the speci- 

 men is finished. This will keep them from splitting. With a pair of 

 dissecting scissors begin at the vent and make a straight cut along the 

 middle line of the belly, prolonging the incision to where the 

 V-shaped point forms between the gills. Start the cut again at the 

 vent and continue it to one side of the anal fin, all the way to the cau- 

 dal fin, or tail. This opening incision is shown in Plate LXXX, Fig. 

 4. You may now carefully cut with the scissors the spines which sup- 

 port the anal fin. The flesh that adheres to it may be cut away after- 

 wards. Now divide the pelvic arch where the ventral fins are joined, 

 and sever these fins from the pubic bones. Skin down to the tail and 

 cut through the processes of the caudal region. You may then begin 

 to lift the fleshy portion of the fish until you come to the back, 

 where arises the median fins, supported by the interspinous bones. 

 These may be separated with the scissors. Skin up to the base 

 of the skull, where the vertebral column should be detached. Take 

 the brain out, remove all flesh, and scrape clean the entire inside of 

 the skin. The silver lining on the inside, which gives the fish its sil- 

 very color, should not be touched. After cleaning all around the head 

 carefully, taking out the eyes, etc., give the skin a heavy coating of 

 arsenical paste or soap. If you are collecting in the field, then place 

 the skin in alcohol, as directed on pages 45 and 63. Upon catching a 

 fish, an outline of it should be made and its colors painted in water 

 colors. This was Prof. J. S. Wiley's method in the field. 



1. For those who are unacquainted with the anatomy of fishes I should recommend Packard's First 

 Lessons in Zoology, published by Henry Holt & Company, New York. See pages 130 and 131, treatiBg on this 

 subject. 



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