Treatment The specimens were supported individually on tissue pillows. Wings were patched and repaired (ventrally) using Gampi 8gsm Japanese tissue strips, glued into place using 50% n-pH PVA. Once dry, other areas of wing were treated in like fashion. Detached wings were glued back into place binding the wing corner with Japanese tissue as an adhesive bridge between the dust-dry body and the wing itself. Detached antennae were glued into place using the same technique.

Nurse shark head SCM: CONS 2006.0291
The skin of this shark was cracking and starting to lift in many areas, and the underlying plaster was flaking and powdering. The skin was lifting around the shield mount and there were numerous cracks, eruptions and abrasions elsewhere to the skin and underlying surfaces. Surface eruptions were often extreme due to hasty plastering of original mount. Some teeth were loose, two detached. The upper maxillary-pterygoid cartilages had dried out and delaminated from the proto-maxillary leaving gaps, and the same with the lower jaw. The cartilages were dry and fibrous along edges and around the mandibular junctions.

Treatment
Dorsal Surface: dust removed with soft-hair brush.
Paintwork patches removed and surface plaster flakes brushed away leaving more solid but dry surface ready for consolidation using 10% Mowital B30H. Skin glued back using neutral pH PVA.
Gap-fills to skin where cracked following adhesive treatment using 10M filler, also to areas where original plasterwork had been formed into sharp-edged eruptions, yet not concealing these as they form part of the original work. Mouth: detaching and delaminated surfaces, skin detaching around right side of mouth. Underlying tissue consolidated with 10% Mowital B30H, and skin subsequently re-attached using neutral pH PVA.
Two teeth similarly glued into place.
Gap-fills to delaminated areas and fissures, following adhesive treatment, using 10M filler. The whole re-painted.


Blue shark head SCM: CONS 2006.0290
The skin was cracking and starting to lift in many areas, and the underlying plaster flaking and powdering. The skin and paintwork was lifting, especially under chin, also around shield mount. Numerous cracks, eruptions and abrasions elsewhere to skin and underlying surfaces. Many lifting areas to paint work and one large area of cracked open plasterwork on head.

Treatment
Exposed plasterwork around head consolidated with 10% Mowital B30H but plasterwork around mouth area consolidated with 10% Paraloid B72 (faster setting but less penetrating).
Crumbling plasterwork in and around mouth and gap-fills glued and filled (neutral pH PVA).
Paintwork-exposed plaster consolidated with 10% Mowital B30H and glued back with n-pH PVA.
Large and sprung gap-fills glued with epoxy paste, levelled. Smaller gap-fills and around mouth with 10M filler.
The whole re-painted.


Freshwater Conger (family) Eel SCM: CONS 2006.0296
The eel body was broken in several places following a fall whilst on display. the reason for this can be attributed to the rather too fine nylon monofilament suspending it!
The specimen was partly wrapped with parcel paper tape to reinforce the lower area of body fin so that the monofilament suspension would not tear it.
The main body fin has sustained severe damage and part is missing, the caudal fin is in slightly better condition despite some cracking and delamination.
The head has also sustained damage to the mouth edges on both sides. The pelvic area break is the most serious with wood-wool stuffing emerging from the body and numerous skin tears.

Treatment
Areas of flaking and powdery plasterwork were consolidated with 10% paraloid B72 in acetone.
The two major cracks (neck and pelvic areas) were repaired using epoxy paste in 2-3 layers. The problem of supporting an object that can twist in 3 different directions simultaneously necessitated this type of repair at these junctions of the body.
During curing, the paste was textured using dimpled tissue.
The mouth plaster was rebuilt with epoxy paste where plaster had cracked away and been lost.
Holes from old armature and former support cradles were also filled.
Detached areas of skin glued (neutral-pH PVA).
Fins joined, repaired and gap-filled using 15gsm Kozo tissue and 12 gsm Gampi tissue.
Caudal split and that below neck injected PVA and tucked-in Japanese tissue mâché, surface gap-filled 10M filler.
The whole re-painted and lacquered with 2 layers of shellac in alcohol.


Puku head SCM: CONS 2006.0271
The fur was dust-soiled and the ear tips opening and old filler (still intact) and wire armature exposed. Eyes and horns were dust-stained and rather dry. Some field-mounting slippage was observed under the eyes – regrettably quite normal for field-mounted specimens of this age.

Treatment
The fur was cleaned using Document Cleaning Powder, and brushed to remove excess powder and dust soil. Fur back-brushed to reset its normal / natural position.
Horns and eyelids were dressed (Bollmann compound) and excess removed with isopropanol wipes.
Eyes were polished.
The ears were glued in stages using neutral pH-PVA and Japanese tissue mâché, old filler preserved as intact. Edge splits glued using fast-setting cyanoacrylate adhesive, then brushed.


Impala head SCM: CONS 2006.0270
The fur was dust-soiled, the ear tips opening and old filler (still intact) and wire armature exposed. The left ear tips were detached, and the eyes and horns dust-stained and rather dry.

Treatment
The fur was cleaned using Document Cleaning Powder, and brushed to remove excess powder and dust soil. Fur back-brushed to reset its normal / natural position.
Horns and eyelids dressed (Bollmann compound) and excess removed with isopropanol swabs.
Eyes polished.
The ears were glued in stages using neutral pH-PVA and Japanese tissue mâché, old filler again preserved as intact. Edge splits glued using fast-setting cyanoacrylate adhesive, then brushed.

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