378 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



a northern origin, and a specimen of Beryx in this lot might 

 be presumed to come from Norway rather than the coast of 

 Portugal. 



For a popular museum I hold coloured casts to be far prefer- 

 able to either wet preparations or stuffed specimens. Described 

 in a few words, our general method of preparation is as follows : 

 The specimen is cleaned of mucus, and, if it has been gutted, 

 stuffed with clay and sewn up. The fins are cut off and pinned 

 out to dry, and the stripped body is covered with ordinary 

 paraffin wax. Dental plaster is used for the cast. The ex- 

 panded fins are carefully cemented in their exact positions, and 

 appropriate glass eyes are fitted. Plaster, of course, will not 

 take paint. Sometimes we impregnate with wax, but I prefer to 

 " gild" with ordinary gold size and aluminium leaf. 



At this stage the cast or model is an exact replica of the 

 living fish, in bright aluminium, and it is then carefully coloured 

 from a fresh specimen, or (in the case of rare species) from a 

 drawing made before the cast was taken. I use ordinary best 

 quality oil colours, and as little medium as possible ; and it is 

 sometimes not very difficult to colour a model so that it cannot 

 be detected at a yard distance from a fresh specimen. Mr. 

 A. J. Gear, who has always been most generous with advice, 

 regularly turns out specimens that defy the most cautious visual 

 scrutiny. He leans towards the use of guanin as a nacreous or 

 silvery pigment, but it is a medium that I have not adequately 

 tried. 



It is, however, to my colleague, Mr. P. TV. Horn, that we 

 are most indebted, for his wide knowledge of fish and skilful 

 handling in preparation have been invaluable in the building up 

 of our curiously garnered collection. In the following notes I 

 shall only treat of the more interesting species, and, except 

 when the contrary is stated, the place of purchase will be under- 

 stood to be Wentworth Street : — 



Pike Perch {Lucioperca sandra). — This Continental fresh- 

 water fish is on sale throughout the winter, and is very popular. 



Bass (Labrax hqnis). — March. 



Greater Weever (Trachinus draco). — January. The local 

 name is "Beever" (a change that maybe explained by " Grimm's 

 Law"), and it has a high reputation. Day (' British Fishes,' i. 



