SKINNING, PEESERVINa, AND MOUNTING FISH, ETC. 181 



I have just finislied an 181b. fisli, tlie liead of wMcIl was skinned 

 out by tliis process. 



Small pieces of cabinet cork (about one-eigbtli incb tbick) will 

 be found very useful for spreading tbe fins* of small fisbes. 



In the event of the scales rising from tbe use of wet plaster or 

 any otber cause, "wrapping" cotton, i.e., "darning" cotton, or 

 shoemakers' bemp, must be bound over tbem to keep tbem in 

 place. 



Since tlie foregoing was written I bave considerably modified 

 and improved on my former metbod. Having tried wet "pipe " 

 or modelling clay, witb wbicb to stuff tbe skin, I found tbat 

 altbougb at first tbe working and general sbape were excellent, 

 yet tbat, after a few days, tbe skin sbrank and puckered in so 

 abominable a f asbion as to render all tbe labour bestowed upon 

 it of no avail. This was most unfortunately tried upon a twenty 

 pound pike, and so utterly mis-sbapen did it become as to 

 necessitate tbe relaxingf of tbe specimen — tbe removal of tbe 

 clay — and tbe ultimate sbaping up again, by tbe dry plaster 

 process. 



Tbis substitution of dry plaster of Paris (price about 4s. per 

 cwt.) for sand is one of tbe very best tbings ever tried. Having 

 skinned your fisb in tbe manner before directed, crowd tbe bead 

 witb peat, and tbe face, and parts of tbe skin inside, and around 

 tbe fins and tail, witb putty. Lay tbe fisb-skin, cut upper- 

 most as before, and ladle in dry plaster, beginning at tbe tail 

 end ; as tbis fills in, sew up, being careful to sborten tbe skin, 

 making it deep, and not long and narrow at tbat part ; being 

 particular also to well ram in witb a sbort stick tbe plaster to 

 fill all out, and to remove ugly creases or depressions. When 

 about a tbird of tbe fisb is done, fasten your stitcbes and go on 

 filling in at tbe bead ; as you work toward tbe middle, lift bead 

 or tail very gently to peep underneatb at tbe progress you are 

 making. 



As tbe stuffing progresses, deepen tbe body toward tbe middle, 

 being careful at tbe same time to well ram in tbe plaster. 

 Finally sew up. Now take anotber board, a little more tban 



* Notes on repairing fins will be found in Chapter XII. 



t Several correspondents have -written as to the relaxing of fish skins. This is a very 

 «a3y ptocess, nothing more being done to the skin than plunging it in water until sufficiently 

 softened. 



