CHAPTER YIII. 



Skinning, Peeserving, and Mounting Fish, and 

 Casting Fishes in Plaster, &c. 



Fish "beinf;^, perliaps, tlie most difficult things in tlie range of 

 taxidermical science to set np in a satisfactory manner, I would 

 impress upon tlie amateur to take particular note of their 

 peculiarities of sliape and colour, and to practise upon any easily- 

 obtained and tough- skinned fish, such as the perch, which is, 

 indeed, one of the best of all subjects for the purpose. 



However, as I have now before me a pike of over 111b., I will 

 take it to illustrate this lesson. 



Provide yourself first with skinning knives (see Figs. 11 — 13) 

 and a tool previously figured, which I call the undercutting 

 knife or scraper (see Fig. 29). It is best made by an artisan, but 

 may be roughly fashioned by beating out a square piece of 

 steel (a worn-out, narrow, flat or square file will furnish this), 

 while hot, to a flat surface at one end, turning it at right angles 

 for about an inch, and filing each side of this return, as also the 

 point (the latter previously rounded) to a cutting edge, and 

 afterwards giving it the requisite hardness by "tempering" it in 

 oil. Many tools used by the gun stockers are to be bought ready 

 made, which will fulfil all the requirements of this tool, but it 

 is so easily made that I consider anyone with the least 

 mechanical ability should be able to make one. The object of 

 this tool is to rim in under bones and to cut and drag out pieces 

 of flesh through small openings. 



Measurements being taken and a board provided on which to 

 trace the outline, select the best side of the fish — by which I 

 mean the side most free from bruises or "gaff" marks. Cover 



