CHAPTER IX. 
MOUNTING REPTILES, BATRACHIANS, AND FISHES. 
Mounting reptiles, batrachians, and fishes as 
collected in this department is scarcely a part of 
taxidermy. I shall only give general instructions 
regarding mounting some species. Snakes may be 
readily skinned by cutting a longitudinal insertion 
about a fourth of the distance down from the head 
on the lower side where the body begins to enlarge, 
near its greatest diameter ; then the skin may be 
speedily taken off both ways. When the vent is 
reached the skin comes away harder, but in order 
to make a perfect piece of work it must be skinned 
quite to the end of the tail, even if it splits open ; 
the eyes must be removed from the inside of the 
head. The skin on the top of the head cannot be 
removed in this class of animals, leaving the jaw 
and skull. Cover well with preservative, and turn 
the skin. To mount, two ways are practised, one 
with plaster, in which the orifice on the inside and 
the vent are sewed up, and the plaster poured into 
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