284 MEALS MEDICINAL. 
tossed into the mouth. Shrimps are carnivorous feeders, being of 
repute against consumption, and highly restorative in chicken 
broth. 
The Sole does not keep long, and should be eaten as fresh as 
possible ; when in roe its flesh is insipid. The Lemon Sole is, if 
not really a different species, at all events inferior in kind. A 
well-flavoured Sole is the ‘“ Sea-partridge.” 
The Red Mullet, abundant on all Mediterranean coasts, and 
taken in the English Channel, particularly at Plymouth, is 
termed by some the ‘‘ Woodcock of the Sea,”’ as its trail is eaten 
if properly cooked. When dressed the fish should be only 
lightly scraped, or not scraped at all; the gills should then be 
pulled away, and such part of the trail as is connected with them ; 
no other evisceration is required. The name of this fish, Mudlus 
surmulletus, is said to be derived from mudlus, the scarlet sandal, 
or shoe, worn by the Roman Consuls. Fishermen usually scrape 
off the scales with their thumb-nails immediately the mullets 
are caught, else the rich crimson hue invariably fades; then the 
bared skin becomes brilliantly red. The flesh is white, and 
remarkably free from fat. The flavour of the fish improves 
with its size, and small fish deprived of the liver are more or less 
insipid. The method of cooking them, by rolling in paper to 
prevent injuring the skin, has been observed for at least two 
thousand years. The Romans placed enormous value upon 
the Mullet, paying its weight in gold when unusually large. 
Sussex boasts an Arundel Mullet, a Chichester Lobster, a Shelsey 
Cockle, and an Amerly Trout. 
Sprats contain a large amount of oily fat, disagreeable in 
flavour, and quite uneatable ; this causes all culinary preparations 
of the Sprat_ except when broiled, to be unattractive, or repulsive ; 
broiling dissipates, or volatilizes, most of the oil. The Sprat 
(Encrasicholus, or bitter-headed) should be decapitated, and 
deprived of its gall; pickled like the Anchovy it strengthens 
the stomach; the flesh taken before meat loosens the belly. 
The true Anchovy was esteemed of old as giving tone to the 
stomach, restoring appetite, loosening the belly, and good against 
agues. When these fish are salted, and placed in barrels, a little 
reddish ochrous earth is added to give them colour, which mineral 
is dangerous unless well washed off at the time of serving the 
Anchovies. Sprats are often supplied as sardines; naturalists 
do not recognize a fish called a sardine. This term merely signifies 
