h off the board, still keeping the sewn side
uppermost, and measure the distance between the two upright wires, and
make corresponding holes in the board, which push down on the top of
the fish, bringing the wires through, and bending their ends down upon
the board, so that the specimen may be temporarily rivetted thereto.
Place your hand carefully underneath the head of the fish, and turn
the board over. You have now the fish right side uppermost. About the
head some little extra stuffing will doubtless be required, and, as
the putty will have got a little out of place in the process, it must
be replaced, and the head and neck made up nice and square; also look
to the tail, and put that in proper shape.

Gently press the skin all over with the hands, deftly patting it with
a small piece of smooth flat board to reduce any lumps, and to get the
putty to work evenly over the surface. Get some short wires and set
the head, with the mouth open as much as you require. One wire may be
pushed through the nostril, another may go under the tongue, and a
third parallel to it beneath the under-jaw. Arrange the teeth, some of
which you will find loose, and, with "needle points," fix into
position the gill-covers, which tie over with a little wrapping cotton
to keep them from springing up out of place. Next look to the fins,
under which put some pieces of peat, covered by stiff card-board, and
nicely display them, pinning them down and binding the wrapping cotton
over them.

As a last operation, go over the whole of the outside skin with the
carbolic formula, No. 15. When this dries, which it will do in the
course of an hour or so, varnish the whole upper surface with best
clear "paper" varnish, which will have the effect of keeping the skin
and scales in position. Let the fish be now put by in a moderately
warm situation to thoroughly dry, which will, in the case of a large
specimen, take about a month. The skin is then like leather, with no
colour in it at all, and must, of course, be subsequently coloured up
according to nature, the eyes put in, and mounted in a case with
appropriate water-weed; notes on all of which will be found in
Chapters XII, XIII, and XIV.

Sawdust or bran may be used for stuffing the fish, which, with the
addition of putty and tow to certain parts, will shape it up very
fairly. Some taxidermists use tow alone, but this I do not think
advisable.

Small fish, up to 2 lb, may, after skinning, have a bent