210 ON THE ECONOMICAL USES OF FISHES 



Russians, who still enjoy a monopoly in tlie trade, 

 although a fish glue, sufiicient for ordinary purposes, 

 may be procured from many fishes of common oc- 

 currence on our own coasts, especially the cod. For 

 the purpose of making isinglass, the sounds are cut 

 open when fresh, well washed^- and divested of their 

 thin outer membrane, and then exposed for a short 

 time to the air, being afterwards formed into rolls 

 about the thickness of a finger. 



It is said by an English traveller, who saw the 

 Russian sturgeon fisheries on the Caspian, that all 

 the fish taken are thrown away, and allowed to rot 

 on the ground, after the only parts considered of 

 use, the sounds and the roe, have been preserved. 

 Their flesh, however, is in this country considered 

 excellent, and wdienever sturgeons occur on our 

 coast, which not unfrequently happens, they always 

 command a ready sale. One species, indeed, when 

 properly cooked, is said to resemble delicate veal in 

 no ordinary degree. 



Isinglass is extensively employed by brewers and 

 others, for the purpose of clarifying malt-liquors and 

 wines. It is also formed into a mild nutritious jelly 

 by being boiled in milk, and is sometimes used 

 medicinally. This jelly is the blanc-mange of our 

 tables A solution of isinglass, with the addition of 

 some balsam, and spread on black silk, constitutes 

 the court-plaster of the shops. Besides this, the 

 substance in question may be used instead of glue 

 or gum-arabic, and is preferable to either in many 

 respects 



