neath as you can, and then push the fingers underneath until they
meet, and thus gradually free the flesh from the skin almost up to the
extreme end of the caudal fin (or tail). Insert the point of the large
shears underneath, and cut the bone and flesh completely through at a
distance of about 1 in. from the last joint of the vertebrae at the
tail; this leaves a little flesh attached to be subsequently cleared
out.

Leaving this, go now to the head of the fish, and, holding down the
skin of the back, which is now flat on the table, run the fingers of
the right hand, especially the thumb, right down the whole length of
the fish to the tail, in order to loosen all from the underneath to
the front of the fish, when the whole will be free up to the two
ventral fins, which you may cut away, as it were, with your finger
nails, leaving the attached flesh to be trimmed away afterwards. The
only part which now holds to the skin is that near the head, as also
the under one of the pectoral fins; this latter must be carefully cut
away, as the skin is very thin about here, and is rather awkward to
get at.

Now let the fingers of both hands come into requisition, and let them
meet under the head. Regaining the large knife, with it sever the bone
of the head cutting toward you. If this is properly performed, the
cutting edge of the knife will touch the gills; be careful in this,
that your knife does not slip and go too far into the underneath skin.
Various internal organs will now appear, holding fast to the skin;
these must be cut through with the knife, and the effect should be
that the whole of the body comes out in a piece. [Footnote: The
beginner may, however, for greater facility of handling, cut the body
of a large fish into sections, and remove them piece by piece as he
progresses.] For larger fish, say one of 20 lb. or more, I recommend
splitting the flesh longitudinally or vertically, and getting out each
section separately.

The skin now being free from the body, scrape away all the small
pieces of flesh that are still adhering inside the skin, down the
centre, and around the fins and tail. Those fin-bones (inter-spinous
bones) which protrude inside may be cut fairly short with the
scissors, and the flesh nicely scraped off from each side. What flesh
is left on the tail must be carefully cut away with the aid of the
knife, scissors, and shears, care being taken also to free the bone to
the very end, and yet not to dist