SKINNING, PRESERVING, AND MOUNTING FISH, ETC. 177 



orbits of the eyes, to pull out tlie loose pieces of flesli. (Note 

 that, in doing this, it is as well to be careful not to cut your 

 fingers with the edges of the small bones of the head, nor with 

 the palatal or lingual teeth.) 



The operator must not forget during work to keep the fins 

 well damped, otherwise they rapidly dry and split, as I have 

 before observed. 



Running between and from the pectoral fins a thick, fleshy 

 process continues right up underneath the jaw. As the included 

 flesh is contained in a remarkably thin silvery skin, extra- 

 ordinary care is necessary in freeing this from the flesh, so the 

 knife, the scraper, and the fingers will all have to come into 

 play. It is held at the extreme end under the jaw by a thin 

 bone, which, though skinned to its under part, must not be cut 

 away, but left slightly attached. 



A little sand at this stage is useful to rub the fingers in, to 

 prevent them slipping, when pulling out small pieces of flesh. 

 The pectoral fins are, of all, the most awkwardly situated to skin 

 out, coming, as they do, at the bottom of the pectoral process, 

 and they must be left with their bones attached, and the flesh be 

 scraped away from between the two fins, and underneath each 

 one, until nothing remains. Carefully attend to the latter part 

 of these instructions, or the final result will be anything but 

 creditable. 



Some flesh now lies between two skins along the sides of the 

 fish's gums, between the tongue and the teeth ; a hole must be 

 cut inside at the back part of the head below the eye, the 

 crooked scraper inserted, and all the flesh dragged out bit by 

 bit. E-emember, this is merely a thin membrane, and the slightest 

 awkwardness ruptures it ; in large fish, however, the finger may 

 be introduced with advantage, to pull out pieces of flesh. Many 

 taxidermists cut the whole of this away, and replace it with 

 plaster ; but if the fish's mouth is to be left open it never looks 

 so well as if done by this method. 



Cut under the tongue from the outside, and scrape out the 

 flesh, fill up with putty, and sew up neatly. 



To stuff the fish, procure a thick piece of wire somewhat 

 longer than the body, bending one end, to form a large oval- 

 shaped loop, to be afterwards pushed up as a bearer into the 



