252 THE ZOOLOGIS'r. 
withstanding its emaciated condition, was cut up and sold in the 
Fish-market! Some very fine River Trout from the Thames, as 
well as several Norfolk rivers, were exhibited, showing the large 
size to which these fish attain when they remain long in un- 
disturbed possession of a deep corner of a mill-pool where the 
supply of food is plentiful. 
Amongst other fish worthy of note were a fine Perch Pike 
and a Swedish Lake Trout, presented by the late W. A. Lloyd 
to Mr. Gurney; an Opah caught off Yarmouth, particularly 
interesting for its immature condition; a Deal-fish caught in 
Holkham Bay (see Trans. Norf. & Nor. Nat. Soc., ili., p. 95); 
a beautifully articulated head of the Angler-fish; and many 
others, of which space will not permit the mention. 
Looking round at the beautiful array of bright and handsome 
cases which lined the walls, one could not help being struck with 
the conviction that fish-stuffers have yet much to learn and a 
great deal to unlearn. The very best specimens were more or 
less stiff, formal, and devoid of life, and nothing could be more 
incongruous than the conventional mounting generally adopted. 
Why should Pike be almost invariably represented floating open- 
mouthed in the air with tufts of reeds, grasses, and other aquatic 
plants innocently blooming beneath them? ‘T'wo cases of Scandi- 
navian fishes exhibited by Mr. J. L. Sayer, although not generally 
very attractive in their appearance, were greatly in advance of the 
majority, being life-like in position, and although too crowded, all 
their surroundings were in accordance with their native habitat. 
It only needed a glance, however, at the fine collection of casts 
from the Buckland Museum, but especially at the Pike exhibited 
by Mr. Jardine and the Piscatorial Society, cast by Buckland 
and painted by Rolfe, each lying in its basket of grass, to show 
the true method of preserving the accurate representations of 
these creatures. It must not be forgotten, however, that though 
the form may be left to the plasterer, a Rolfe is required to give it 
the colour. There were a few groups of stuffed fish represented 
as thrown in heaps on the river-banks, which had a good effect. 
Considerable space was devoted to Oysters and Oyster-culture, 
and many varieties of this rare bivalve, British, French, Dutch, 
Portuguese, and American, were exhibited, both mature and in 
all stages of growth, from ‘‘spat” upwards. There were also 
interesting exhibits of Mussels, Cockles, and other shell-fish for 
