Cii.vit. xxiii. Staffing Fish. 297 



a whole year before others. As to quality of food, it may lie noted 

 that three batches of trout having been fed experimentally, one 

 batch exclusively on ilies, another on worms, and another on 

 minnows, it was found thai the trout fed exclusively on flies showed 

 the most growth and weight, those dieted on worms the next, and 

 those on minnows the least of all. The Loch Leven and other 

 trout might he instanced as profiting by the quality of their food. 

 Constancy of food supply means freedom from periods of starvation, 

 and my belief is that such periods permanently stunt growth in 

 fish as they do in everything else that has to keep awake and in 

 active existence the while. I put out of the cpuestion hybernating 

 bears, and activating crocodiles. 



If you have a particularly fine fish, or a new specimen, and 

 want to preserve it hy stuffing, it is not a difficult matter, hut you 

 must then he more careful about getting it home uninjured. 

 Having washed it clean outside, commence by entirely covering 

 both sides with a piece of paper each, pasted on, and allowed to 

 dry. The object of this is to secure the fish from losing any scales 

 in the manipulation of skinning and stuffing. With a knife and 

 Stout pair of scissors cut from the top of the gill-opening down to 

 the tail, keeping about half-way between the lateral line and the 

 hack. Arrived at the tail, or rather within a quarter of an inch of 

 it, cut down at right angles. Turn down the flap thus made, and 

 thoroughly clean out the fish, not neglecting the head. Remove 

 all the bones except those of the head. Paint the inside freely 

 with arsenical soap. Stuff tightly but shapely with cotton, re- 

 membering that fish shrink dreadfully. Sew up the opening with 

 needle and thread. Wash off the paper j spread out the tail and 

 the fins on the good side and back, with pins and cardboard, so 

 that the rays may be easily counted. Paint over outside with 

 spirits of turpentine, dry in the shade and finally give two coats of 

 varnish. 



For arsenical soap the following recipe may be lelied on. 

 Take— 



36 Tolas of bar soap. 

 30 „ white arsenic in powder. 

 12 „ camphor. 

 ■I „ carbonate of potash. 



Put the soap in one pint of water, and let it simmer slowly for a 



