then stiffness may be present unless the fish is posed properly. Fish
lying in a mass on a bank, or in a dish, as were some at the
"Fisheries," look the most natural and easy.

One plan, new to me, however, was adopted in such subjects as large
pike, etc, which were cast, coloured, and placed in a long basket upon
straw, the whole covered with glass. This method is especially nice
for the hall table as a souvenir of piscatorial success. I was rather
disappointed in the colouring of these casts. Many of the artists had
entirely missed the subtle colours of the pike, trout, and other fish
--one salmon only, and one dishful of grayling, magnificently managed,
excepted. [Footnote: One of the very best books I know to help teach
the colouring of fish is "British Freshwater Fishes," by the Rev. W.
Houghton, M.A. Two vols, quarto, each fish beautifully drawn and
coloured.]

Perhaps, the best treatment of fish, when modelled in plaster, was
exhibited in the Indian section; here the tints of the fish were
beautifully managed, the skins appeared wet, but not varnished, and
all the colours were nicely blended in. As for the stuffed fish, their
name was legion, and they were there in all degrees of merit. One
thing, however, struck me with painful surprise; among the thousands
of freshwater fish I saw mounted by taxidermy, not one was without
those ridiculous little spears (cut from large rushes, or from paper)
growing from the bottom of the case, each one, or each bunch of them,
erect as possible, and almost always arranged at equal distances
apart, with maddening precision.

Some of the sea-fish admitted of more elastic treatment, and I saw one
very good exhibit of these. The artist had, however, rather detracted
from their undeniably good treatment by modelling small stones. These
were so natural as to require a label explaining this; but I would
remind all workers in taxidermy that there is no useful end gained by
modelling small stones; a great amount of labour is wasted, and the
intention of modelling--which is to replace the great weight of large
stones by extraordinary lightness--is completely overlooked.

"SCREENS."--The ordinary screen intended for use is made of two sheets
of thick plate-glass, between which are pressed ferns, butterflies,
etc, the whole set in an oak or other wood frame, with castors.

Those intended for ornament are more lightly made. Thus: A square
frame, about 30 in. by 24 in. by 4.5 in. deep,