444 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



is called the first class, 27,001 to the second, and 11,003 to 

 the third. Proc. Roy. Inst, Cormcall, May, 1872, 7. 



FISHERIES OF THE SHUMAGIN ISLANDS. 



A correspondent of the Alaska ITerald writes from the 

 Shumasin Islands in reference to the cod-fisheries carried on 

 in that vicinity, and estimates the number of large fish taken 

 during the season at 1,200,000. These will be sufficient to 

 supply the California market, and leave something over for 

 other points on the Pacific coast. The cod-fishing season 

 commences in April and lasts until September, and the prod- 

 uct from this source is rapidly increasing. 



The cod-fish are generally taken by means of small boats 

 whose crews go out from the shore or from vessels. Eleven 

 and twelve inch hooks, baited with halibut or cuttle-fish, are 

 generally used. A good fisherman will readily take four 

 hundred fish in a day, although three hundred is a fair aver- 

 age. The fish are salted and packed away as soon as they 

 are brought on board. Alaska Herald, October 9, 1872. 



UTILIZATION OF REFUSE FISH. 



An important branch of industry has lately sprung up on 

 the lakes, having for its object the utilization of certain fish 

 formerly considered as worthless, and among them more par- 

 ticularly the sturgeon. It is not many years since that the 

 sturgeon was regarded as of no value, and, although taken in 

 great numbers in the pounds and traps, was always thrown 

 away. 



Messrs. Schacht Brothers, of Sandusky, Ohio, have, how- 

 ever, undertaken to utilize this fish, and opened an estab- 

 lishment for the purpose on a large scale. They now pur- 

 chase all the sturgeon that are taken in the vicinity, and oth- 

 ers sent from a distance ; and after cleaning them they cut 

 the meat into small pieces, which they salt and smoke. What- 

 ever is not to be prepared immediately is frozen, and kept in 

 that condition until it can be worked up. From the eggs 

 they make caviar, while the bladder is converted into isin- 

 glass of the best quality. The offal of the head and other 

 parts is boiled, and the oil extracted, and every part of the 

 fish is converted to some useful purpose, a good price being 

 obtained for the different products. 



