Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1891-10-15
ARTIFICIAL FISHES.


Curious Realistic Work of the United
States Fish Commission.
A very wonderful collection of animals
that live in the water is at present being
manufactured by the United States fish
commission for exhibition at the Worlds
fair in Chicago. Somewhat less than 500
specimens will illustrate the food and
other economic fishes and reptiles of this
country, each one representing q species.
Two experts, said to be the most skillfuI
men living in this line of work, areengaged
in turning out counterfeit representations
of things scaly and fnny in the utmost
imaginable variety.
The extraordinary thing about these
products is that they not only look but feel
like the real creatures which they initiate,
the very substance being to the touch so
like flesh itself that it is difficult for any
one who handles the objects and examines
them closely to realize that he is not deal
ing with the animals themselves. So amaz-
ingly we'll are they painted that their hues
are the very tints of nature. For example,
you can take frog in your hand, pinch
him and admire the beauty of his coloring
without being able to distinguish him from
an actual bactrachian just killed
The secret of this art, which is quite
new one, lies mainly in the composition
employed as a material Its basis is glue
The operator first takes the fish to be imi.
tated and makes plaster mold from it in
the ordinary fashion. Then he places "A
wooden core inside the mold-a fiat piece
of plank of the same general shape serves
usually for the purpose, the object being
to give stiffness to the finished result-and
pours into the mold the melted compo.
sition.
Eight or ten hours later the mold ia
opened, and perfect counterpart of the
fish, as to shape, is taken out. So admir-
ably are all the details reproduced that
each scale is distinct After the counter
felt has been hung up to dry for few
days it is painted with oil colors in a man
ner as near to nature as possible, a fresh
specimen not long out of water being used
for copy. This done the thing is fin
ished. In the process of molding stiffen-
ing is given to the fms ard tail with ordi-
nary wire mosquito netting.
The fishes required for molding and COPY
ing with colors are being sent to Washing
ton as fast as required from the various
stations of the fish commission all over the
country Most of them at present are be-
ing obtained from Woods Holl. 1t may.
be that the experts will be obliged to 20
themselves to Galveston, San Francisco
and elsewhere in order to secure fresh speci-
mems from the gulf, Pacific and lake
waters
Those forwarded hither are wrapped in
cloths as quickly as possible after being
captured and packed in ice for shipment.
Some superb bullfrogs have Just arrived
from southwest Missouri They are two
feet in length. Turtles of every edible
variety will also be shown in the collection.
including the various terrapins, the snap
per, the green turtle and others. In max
ing models of them the shells and beaks of
the animals themselves are utilized. About
dozen kinds of snakes which are destruc.
tive to fishes will be represented inciden-
tally.
Lobsters, crabs and other crustacea viii
likewise be shown. Some giant crayashes
nearly foot long have come in with the
big frogs from the Ozark region. wash
ington Letter.