152 Guide to Taxidermy 



Caring For and Preserving Fish 



It frequently happens that you will see or catch 

 a iish that you would like to mount, yet you may be 

 far from your headquarters. You can preserve the 

 fish entire, for an indefinite period, but putting it in 

 a jar containing either an alcohol or formaldehyde 

 bath. Directions for making both of these are 

 given under their headings in Chapter 10. 



If you make an accurate life-sized drawing of 

 the fish, you can skin it and preserve the skin either 

 by salt or in the same alcohol bath. It is much bet- 

 ter, however, to keep the fish wet until after it is 

 mounted. 



Skinning a Fish 



There are two methods of exhibiting fish, — 

 fastened on panels, showing one side only, or ele- 

 vated on a standard by means of two upright rods, 

 showing either side. We think the former is by far 

 the preferable. Both sides of a fish are exactly 

 alike; one mounted on a panel occupies less space 

 than if on a standard ; and the opening cut does not 

 show, for no one is so expert that he can cover it so 

 it cannot be seen. In either case the fish is skin- 



