4o8 TAXIDERMY AND MODELLING 



forth, and on which are seated modelled sea-anemones, sponges, 

 corallines, and seaweeds, all well varnished to give the idea of 

 wetness. Beyond, on the back of the case, is painted a repre- 

 sentation of other rocks, blending with the modelled ones, to 

 give distance ; there are representations of swimming fishes, 

 octopods, and Medusae as if in the distance, and the top of 

 the case, being of glass, is painted with representations of 

 floating seaweeds. The front glass is a difficulty, and whether 

 it should be quite plain or varnished and streaked is not quite 

 evident. 



It is very badly done, however, and might be much improved, 

 and as for the specimens included, they are painfully and 

 grotesquely ill-stuffed, being old "heirlooms," and are being 

 replaced by properly modelled fishes. 



Perhaps the most realistic manner of mounting fishes is 

 placing them either singly or in groups upon a shore of sand, 

 seaweed, and shells, if marine fishes, or upon a meadow-bank 

 as though just caught, if fresh -water fishes. In either case 

 opportunity is given to introduce modelled seaweeds or the 

 ordinary meadow-flowers, and, if the fishes and the plant- 

 accessories are well modelled and coloured, a fine result is 

 brought about. 



The mounting of the invertebrata is somewhat restricted in 

 range, and probably, after mounting a few slugs and snails on 

 the various plants suitable, the pupil will wish to devote his 

 attention to the larvae of the Lepidoptera, and here a wide 

 field of charming work is opened out. Larvae modelled by 

 any of the methods described on pp. 291-294 may be arranged 

 upon their various food-plants, and although it is somewhat of 

 an anachronism to represent imagines, pupae, larvae, and ova 

 together on the food-plant, yet it is valuable for museum pur- 

 poses as bringing the various stages of the insect and the food- 

 plant within a small compass for easy reference. 



