

58 THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. (VoL. XXXVI. 
(2) The painting of the fish faded by use of alcohol. For this pur- 
pose I have used water ground color and occasionally some marine 
blue. A few kinds of these colors are, however, to be avoided; 
in the first place, those containing lead, such as white lead and 
chrome yellow. The alcohol in which a fish has been for some time 
finally becomes somewhat acid, and at the same time the process of 
decomposition forming H,S turns the colors containing lead dark or 
black. That is the way I was served in several cases ; the pretty 
white belly of the fish finally appeared quite blackened. Chemical 
examination of the alcohol showed that there was present .034 per 
cent of free acid, supposed to be acetic acid (.348 gr. to one liter of 
alcohol). Under these conditions silver and brass bronze, usually 
appearing so durable, turned dark. Experiments with H,S + H,O 
resulted in great durability of the same, but changed immediately 
after any trace of acid was added. 
Aluminium bronze remained unchanged, even after the addition of 
considerable acid. Therefore one should use permanent white fine 
aluminium bronze and clear gold bronze. For use these are worked 
with a little liquid gum arabic. 
Dr. W. G. Ridgwood has carried out in the British Museum very thor- 
ough tests for the most varied colors, as to their permanency in alcohol and 
sunlight, and has found decided differences. 
The method of painting is as follows. The hardened fish is laid 
on a suitable surface. It is best to color the trunk and head first. 
In the mean time the fins must not be allowed to dry. The eye 
should be kept moist before and after painting, else these parts will 
dry out too quickly and shrink. If after a few minutes the body 
seems sufficiently dry, then one may begin with the painting, which 
after a little practice may be done without any special artistic 
ability. The paint cannot be applied as perfectly as it can be on 
paper, yet still in a sufficient degree to obtain the desired effect. 
This is most easily done in case of small scaled fishes, for example 
the tench; in other cases patience and practice lead to the goal. 
The process of painting is delayed very much because of one's being 
occasionally compelled to moisten the parts with alcohol, in order 
_ to observe the action of the colors, and eventually to change the 
tone of the same. | 
Because of the escape of fat or similar substances, the opercle, 
and many scales, and fin rays occasionally do not seem to take on the 

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