156 



Guide to Taxidermy 





you will strike on the belly side of the fish is the 

 anal (the large one near the tail) ; cut its bony 

 connecting links as close to the skin as possible, us- 

 ing care not to cut through the skin. Do the same 

 on the back of the fish with what is called the dorsal 

 fin. 



You now have one-half the skin on the fish clear 

 from the body, and we trust that you have not for- 

 gotten to keep the whole skin and fins wet during 

 this time. Cut through the bony root of the tail un- 

 til you come to the skin on the other side, taking 

 care not to cut through that. 



You now tur;-. the fish over, with its body resting 

 on the cloth and ihe loosened skin spread on either 

 side. Lift the tail up and gradually work the flesh 

 away, turning the skin carefully back so as not to 

 disturb the scales, until you reach the head. 



With your large scissors cut right through the 

 backbone (inside the skin of course), just back of 

 the head; the body will then be free from the skin. 

 Cleaning out the head is a slow undertaking. It 

 has to all be cut out with the scissors ; by keeping as 

 closely to the skin as possible you will be able to 

 get out a fairly large chunk, including the eyes and 



