Chapter XXXVII: Section III: MOUNTING FISHES.--Fishes are quite difficult to skin,

especially those with scales. In flat fishes I remove a portion of one side, skinning the other; then, in mounting, lay the animal on its side. Mounting in this case means filling the fish to its natural life-size with cotton, tow, or other available material. Plaster or clay will also answer. The fins may be pinned out flat against pasteboard, or put in place with fine wire.

In skinning larger fishes, or those which have no scales, or scaled fishes which have cylindrical shaped bodies, open from beneath by cutting nearly the whole length of the body. The skin from some fishes comes off easily, while in others it is more difficult to remove. In mounting large fishes use a hard core to the body, made of either wire or wood. The fins should be wired from the inside; care should be taken that the skin lies smoothly over the surface beneath, as it shows considerably in drying, and all imperfections around it.

In preserving the skins of all reptiles and fishes the dermal will be found excellent, especially in removing the oil from the skins, etc. Cover well with the preservative, and nothing more will be necessary. Skins of this class of animals may be kept for future mounting by simply coating with the preservative, and kept turned wrong side out without filling. When they are to be mounted throw them into water, in which a small quantity of dermal has been dissolved. When they are soft turn and mount as in fresh skins.

INDEX.

A.

Alaudidæ, 14

Alcidæ, 26

Alcidinidæ, 15

Alligators, 98

American warblers, 14

Ammunition for repeating guns, 10

Ampelidæ, 15

Anatidæ, 24

Aramidæ, 23

Ardeidæ, 23

Arsenic a dangerous poison, 49

Ascertaining the sex of birds, 43

Auks, 26

Avocets, 22

B.

Batrachians, 97

Basket for collecting birds, 29

Bird lime, 6

Birds, 1

Box-trap, 1

Blackbirds, 16

Breech-loading guns, 8

Burrowing owl, Newburyport, Mass, 27

C.

Cabinets, 59

Caprimulgidæ, 17

Care of skins, 59

Care of specimens, 28

Catching wounded birds, 31

Cathartidæ, 21

Charadridæ, 22

Chamæidæ, 13

Cinclidæ, 13

Clap-net, 2

Cypselidæ, 18

Collecting birds, 1

Collecting mammals, 84

Collectors, 27

Columbidæ, 21

Colymbidæ, 26

Coots, 24

Cormorant, 25

Corvidæ, 17

Coturniculus, 16

Courlans, 23

Cranes, 23

Crested birds--mounting, 76

Crows, 17

Cuckoos, 19

Cuculidæ, 19

Cuts of the skull, 37

Cutting-pliers, 64

D.

Darters, 25

Dermal preservative, 45

Dried skins, mounting, 78

Drying forms, 51

Ducks, 24

Ducks' skins, 57

Dusting birds, 80

E.

Eagle as decoy, 6

Eagles, 20

Ever-ready bird-trap, 3

Exceptions to the usual method of skinning, 39

F.

Falconidæ, 20

Falcons, 20

Finches, 16

Fishes, 97

Form for measurements of mammals, 89

Flycatchers, 17

Frigate birds, 25

Fringillidæ, 16

G.

Gallinules, 24

Gannets, 24

Game pieces, 79

Geese, 24

Goatsuckers, 17

Graculidæ, 75

Grebes, 26

Grosbeaks, 16

Grouse, 21

Gruidæ, 23

Gulls, 26

H.

Hæmatopodidæ, 22

Hawk as decoy, 5

Hawks, 20

Herons, 23

Herons' skins, 24

Hirundinidæ, 15

Humming birds, 18

I.

Ibis, 23

Ibis' skins, 56

Icteridæ, 16

Instruments for mounting, 64

J.

Jays, 17

K.

Killing wounded birds, 30

Kingfishers, 19

L.

Labelling specimens, 58

Label, sample, 58

Laniidæ, 15

Large birds, mounting, 76

Large mammals, mounting, 92

Large mammals' skins, 88

Laridæ, 26

Lizards, 98

Loading shells, 8

Loons, 26

M.

Making over old skins, 61

Making skins, 49

Making skins of long-necked birds, 55

Making skins of mammals, 86

Making skins of small birds, 50

Making stands, 84

Mammals, 84

Maynard's dermal preservative, 49

Measurements of birds recorded, 62

Measuring birds, 58

Measuring mammals, 88

Meleagridæ, 21

Motacilidæ, 14

Mounting birds, 64

Mounting dried skins, birds, 78

Mounting dried skins, mammals, 94

Mounting fishes, 99

Mounting fresh specimens, birds, 64

Mounting fresh specimens, mammals, 90

Mounting lizards, alligators, etc., 98

Mounting mammals, 88

Mounting mammals without any bones, 95

Mounting with wings spread, 76

Mounting reptiles, batrachians, and fishes, 97

Mounting screens, 76

Mounting turtles, 99

N.

Naturalists' guide, 44

Nuthatches, 13

O.

Old skins, making over, 61

Other methods of preparing skins, 47

Ordinary method of skinning birds, 43

Orioles, 16

Ouzels, 13

Owl as decoy, 5

Owls, 20

Oyster-catchers, 22

P.

Panel work, 70

Papier-maché, 82

Paridæ, 13

Parrots, 21