254 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



1 8 inches from the snout or 6 inches from the end of 

 the board, and the other at a distance of 3 feet 2 inches, 

 or about 8 inches from the, end of the board near the tail. 

 On the inside of the board the key-holes were covered with 

 pieces of zinc, each cut, 3 inches. in length by 3 inches in 

 breadth and bent in this manner: — J |_. When nailed 

 down, two pieces were fitted at the open ends and nailed on to 

 the edge of the board, thus forming a box, which was further 

 secured and closed in with pasted brown paper to prevent any- 

 thing getting inside the model (see A, Fig. 2, Plate XIII.). 



Across the pectoral fins a piece of half-inch wood, 3 inches 

 wide and nearly 2 feet in length, was fitted, and the line 

 of the fish and the projected centre-piece being arranged on 

 the same plane, this wood was nailed underneath the centre-piece; 

 forming a cross (B, B, Fig. 2) ; underneath this a small post, 

 about 7 inches in length, was nailed as a strut to support, the 

 wood now as a cross-piece at that end. At about 1,8 inches 

 from the tail end another strut was fixed in like manner. 

 Along the inner surface of the tail a long lath was pasted, as 

 a strengthening bar (C, Fig. 2), and from about the centre of 

 this another lath (D, Fig. 2) extended to the underneath of the 

 tail-end of the centre-piece to make all fast. On or under the 

 cross-piece were nailed, two short, laths extending inside the 

 pectoral fins as supports (E, E, Fig. 2). A similar lath, but of 

 less -length, proceeded from just insidie the snout to the fore end 

 of the centre-piece,, and was made fast (F, Fig. 2), These and 

 the bottoms of the small struts or props were firmly, attached 

 by strips of linen and paper to the inside of the model; the 

 struts,, of course, abutting against what. should be the. backbone 

 of .the fish. All this, being, satisfactorily fitted! arid: pasted, in, 

 yvas suffered to dry, and then several 2^-inch strips of common 

 calico were brought over the centre-piece, crossrpieces; and struts, 

 and well pasted down inside the model, brown paper being 



