SKINNING AND MOUNTING FISHES AND REPTILES.
FISHES.--SKINNING.
These may be opened in two ways, according to the position in which
the specimen is to be mounted. If the fish is to rest on its belly, an
incision should be made the entire length of the ventral surface, from
the gills to the end of the tail. If the fish is to rest on its side,
the incision should be made on the side. Before proceeding farther
cover the entire fish with tissue paper which will adhere with the use
of thin gum.
Now, with the scalpel, handle carefully, detach the soft parts from
the skin, cutting rib-bones with the scissors, until the back is
reached. Cut through the fin-bones, and the body will be found quite
loose. Detach the tail end, and remove all muscle from the remaining
vertebræ. Cut through the body at the base of the skull; clean brain
cavity thoroughly, and remove eyes. This latter operation may require
some assistance from the scissors, on the outside. All muscles about
the eyes and skull should be carefully removed. When your skin is
ready, poison it well with the arsenic-alum powder.
MOUNTING.
The artificial body for your specimen may be made of the same materials
as used in stuffing birds and mammals, of clay, plaster of Paris, or
the skin may be simply dried. A tow body may be made and covered with
a layer of clay, to give it a smooth, even surface. You may form a
mould by pressing your specimen into damp clay, allowing this to dry
and then coating the mould with colored varnish. When this is dry,
pour plaster of Paris of the consistency of cream into the mould and
let dry. The other side of the fish must be treated in the same way,
and the two halves united by the solution of plaster. When your body
is ready, place it in the skin and sew up. Place the specimen in
the required position and fasten to a board by stout pins driven on
each side. Spread the fins, tail, etc., by means of the wooden clamps
already mentioned (Fig. 3, L), and set the specimen away to dry. A very
convenient way of treating many specimens, especially hard-scaled fish,
is to bring the sides of the opening together by a few stitches, and
glue a strip of cloth the entire length of the incision. Before this
is done, however, the end of the tail beyond the anus must be stuffed
out with cotton. Take a few stitches through the gills to hold them
down while drying. Now place a tin tunnel in the fish's mouth, and
fill out the skin with fine sand. Place a wad of cotton in the throat,
to keep the sand in; put the specimen in the desired position; remove
the tissue paper with sponge and water; and set your specimen away for
several weeks, to dry. When you are ready to mount your specimen, make
several small holes in it, to let the sand out, and when quite empty
fasten to a board; mount in a case, or in any way which your taste
may suggest. It is sometimes desirable to retain only one side of a
specimen. That side should be covered with tissue paper, as directed,
and the other side, soft parts, bone, etc., cut away. Poison, place
the skin on a board, and pin or nail the edges fast, that it may not
contract while drying. Mount specimens with glass eyes, and brush over
with a coat of varnish. If spots, etc., fade, they must be touched up
with paint.
REPTILES.--SKINNING.
Snakes, frogs, etc. may be opened along the belly, or they may be
skinned through the mouth. If the latter, open the mouth as wide
as possible, and with the scissors cut through the body and first
vertebra. Seize the stump with a pair of forceps, and carefully push
the muscles from the skin, at the same time drawing the body out of the
mouth. This, of course, inverts the skin. Poison thoroughly.
MOUNTING.
The best way to treat frogs is to fill out the skin with sand, and
when dry let the sand out of it through pin holes. Put in eyes and
varnish. Snakes may be stuffed out with sand, or a body may be made.
For the latter, take a piece of annealed wire, rather shorter than the
specimen, wind with tow to the required size, and place in the skin.
The wire enables you to give the specimen any position desired; while,
if sand is used, the specimen must either lie coiled up or straight.
If the mouth is to be kept open, a tongue may be made of fine wire and
painted red.