When using a living fish as a guide in painting, it may be confined in
an aquarium and by sliding a wire screen partition, be kept just before
the artist's eye.

CHAPTER XXI.

MOUNTING FISH--BAUMGARTEL METHOD.

Some years ago A Practical Method of Fish Mounting was advertised by Mr.
Baumgartel in Angling and Sporting publications. Entire satisfaction was
given to those who studied and applied the lessons, through
correspondence school methods. Both the author and publisher of HOME
TAXIDERMY FOR PLEASURE AND PROFIT, are indeed glad to publish the entire
course as used by Mr. Baumgartel, including diagrams, figures, etc., as
same together with copyright was conveyed to A. R. Harding.

The same degree of excellence in mounting fish has not been so generally
attained as in other branches of the taxidermy art, and this I believe
is because an equal amount of study has not been given the subject.
Hundreds can mount birds well to one who can prepare fish in as skillful
a manner, although the mounting of fish dates from as early a period in
the art of taxidermy. It is a question of method and the right one.

The usual methods of mounting fish have proven so unsatisfactory that
they have been almost entirely abandoned, and, until the method to be
described was devised, it was necessary to place specimens in alcohol or
other preserving liquids or to make plaster casts of them. The
objections to the former process are that it is expensive, requiring
especially constructed jars to show the specimens without distortion.
They usually lose all their natural colors, and in most cases shrink to
such an extent as to give only an approximate idea of their original
form. There are also serious objections to the latter method. Plaster
casts are easily broken and certain parts, such as the interior of the
mouth, cannot readily be produced. Further, it is not desirable in
natural history collections to exhibit casts of the objects when the
originals can be displayed. Then, too, the sportsman does not care for a
cast of his "Big Fish," but wants the real thing to verify history of
the one that didn't get away. To me a plaster cast of an object that can
itself be preserved is about as interesting as a nicely painted decoy
duck compares with a well-mounted skin.

As is the case with nearly every taxidermist, professional as well as
amateur, I have always been an enthusiastic sportsman. The desire to
preserve the specimens taken