186 PEACTICAL TAXIDEEMr. 



colours, used paper varnisli wlien dry, witli water-colours and 

 varnislied and painted, and painted and varnished the cast in oils, 

 having used "mediums," tempera painting, "secco" — yet I am 

 not satisfied ; there appears a want of softness and brilliancy ^ 

 probably the electro-type or wax process I am now trying may 

 give the desired effect. 



So disgusted was I at the seeming impossibility of getting 

 " tone " on plaster, that I determined to try paper for the last 

 cast or model ; to this end I took lessons at a theatre in the art 

 of " making (paper) faces," with the result that I now employ 

 paper whenever practicable, and find it answer, from a 21b. perch 

 to a 2cwt. skate. Two or three most valuable results accrue from 

 the substitution of paper for plaster. First, extreme lightness 

 combined with strength ; and secondly, of course, excellence of 

 detail and facility of colouring in either water or oil. For 

 remarks upon the artistic mounting of fishes, see Chapters XII., 

 XIII., and XIY. 



There are, I find, two excellent articles on fish- casting in 

 " Science Gossip for 1878," to which I must refer my readers for 

 further details. They agree to differ, however, in one important 

 particular. One writer says that plaster- work is as "cleanly 

 as any cooking operation, and there is no reason why ladies should 

 not engage in it " ! The other wi'iter speaks of it as " filthy," 

 and, really, I feel inclined to back his opinion ; for having now 

 used some tons of plaster, ranging in quantities from a few 

 pounds to 3cwt. at a time, I must say that, of all the dia- 

 bolical messes for getting into the hair or on the boots, and 

 about a house or workshop, plaster is the worst. " Matter in the- 

 wrong place," mafoi ! you can't keep it in the right. I see that 

 Mr. Taylor, amongst other suggestions, advises the use of half 

 glue and treacle (see Chapter XII.) to cast the first mould for 

 groups of small fishes. If these glue-moulds were backed with 

 plaster " piece-moulds," they might be useful for larger " under- 

 cut" specimens. 



Plaster moulds and casts, it must be remembered, are, when 

 di'ied, about a quarter of their weight when wet, and the same 

 bulk of dried (not dry) plaster is not half the weight of dried 

 clay. 



A very scientific way of getting the coiTect shape of a fish for 



