Guide to Taxidermy 



161 



Tectly and there is a great deal of satisfaction in 

 having your work right. 



Tack it along both edges of the cut, using ordin- 

 ary small flat-headed tacks, (if you should have 

 opened your specimen on the belly you will have 

 to tack it with common pins, cutting each off short 

 after you have driven it in a short distance). 



Put a thin layer of clay on the inside of the top 

 and cheeks of the head; this is necessary because 

 it is impossible to thoroughly clean all particles 

 from these regions. Pin the apex, at the front of 

 the belly-skin, in position between the gills, and 

 draw these latter into their proper place and pin 

 them there (driving common pins through the bony 

 structure into the wood, and afterwards cutting 

 them off short). 



Pin the upper and lower jaws into jjlace, the lat- 

 ter fitting in the hollow made for it in the wooden 

 form. Set the eyes in clay. You will notice that 

 fish have different eyes from any of the birds or 

 animals. The pupil is irregular and the iris often 

 colored with gold or silver. Your dealer will prob- 

 ably have fish eyes in stock; if not you can get 

 the uncolored eyes, having only tlie pupil and 

 color them yourself. 



The pectoral fins of a fish are usually carried at 

 the side or out a little from the body, so the one on 





