11 
remove all fleshy parts and viscera without touching the breastplate 
itself. Apply preservative, stuff, and sew up again both incisions. 
"When turtles, tortoises, crocodiles, or alligators, are too large to 
be preserved whole in liquor, some parts, as the head, the whole 
viscera stripped down from the neck to the vent, and the cloaca, 
should be put into spirit or solution." — R. Owen. 
4. FISHES. 
As a general rule fishes, when not too large, are best preserved en- 
tire in spirits. 
Nevertheless they may be usefully skinned and form collections, the 
value of which is not generally appreciated. In many cases, too, 
when spirit or solutions cannot be procured, a fish may be preserved 
which would otherwise be lost. 
There are two modes of taking the skin of a fish : 1st. The whole 
animal can be skinned and stuffed like a bird, mammal, or reptile. 
2d. One half of the fish can be skinned, and nevertheless its natural 
form preserved. 
Sharks, skates, sturgeons, garpikes or garfishes, mudfishes, and all 
those belonging to the natural orders of Placoids and Ganoids should 
undergo the same process as given above for birds, mammals, and 
reptiles. An incision should be made along the right side, the 
left always remaining intact, or along the belly. The skin is next 
removed from the flesh, the fins cut at their bases under the skin, and 
the latter inverted until the base of the skull is exposed. The inner 
cavity of the head should be cleaned, an application of preservative be 
made, and tbe whole, after being stuffed in the ordinary way, sewed 
up again. Fins may be expanded when wet on a piece of stiff paper, 
which will keep them sufficiently stretched for the purpose. A varnish 
may be passed over the whole body and fins, to preserve somewhat the 
color. 
In the case of Ctenoids, perches and allied genera; and Cycloids, 
trouts, suckers, and allied genera; one-half of the fish may be skinned 
and preserved. To effect this, lay the fish on a table with the left 
side up; the one it is intended to preserve. Spread out the fins by 
putting underneath each a piece of paper, to which it will adhere on 
drying. When the fins are dried, turn the fish over, cut with scis- 
sors or a knife all around the body, a little within the dorsal and ven- 
tral lines, from the upper and posterior part of the head, along the 
back to the tail, across the base of the caudal fin down, and thence 
