134 PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY. 



down with a knife to a horizontal surface at the joints, 

 and be closely packed to the body. The ventral fins 

 should be laid close on the body, and the anal, caudal, 

 and dorsal fins extended naturally on the clay. An in- 

 closure of thin boards or clay should be raised near and 

 around the fish, and thick plaster run over it. When set 

 and dry, the mold should be raised, its edges neatly 

 trimmed, and the whole coated with soap or oil, to pre- 

 vent plaster from adhering. The mold should be braced 

 with clay, with the fish in it, hollow side up, and the 

 other half of the mold taken like the first. Have the 

 joints of the molds made with evenness and precision, 

 particularly about the head and fins. When the fish is 

 removed, a funnel shaped opening should be made in the 

 middle and from the inside of the most imperfect half of 

 the mold, through which to pour the plaster when casting. 



With a brush thinly coat the inside of the molds with 

 castile-soap or grease, care being taken not to fill any of the 

 small cavities. When molds are thoroughly dried, a thin 

 coat of varnish, also Avell dried, is often used to make the 

 casts come freely from the molds. Tie the molds firmly 

 together, run them full of thin refined or dental plaster, 

 mixed with cold water, and the fish will be naturally cast. 



The molds should be well dried before using, and re- 

 moved from the casts with care, to prevent chipping. 

 When the cast is taken from the molds it can be fast- 

 ened on a plaster stand, and any imperfections mended. 

 The whole should then be sized with mucilage, and when 

 well dried, painted naturally. Artificial eyes can be mold • 

 ed in the cast, or inserted after it is taken from the 

 molds. If glue molds are used with plaster coverings to 

 hold them in position, more perfect casts can be made 

 than from plaster molds, as glue runs cleaner than plas- 

 ter and its pliability admits of easy removal of the casts. 



Shields of plaster, with casts of fish attached, make very 

 attractive dining-room ornaments. 



