56 Proceedings of the Essex Institution, Salem. 



scale, some regulations will be necessary for an efficient inspection 

 of dried fish intended for exportation to Foreign markets, in order 

 to give a character to the commodity, and prevent carelessness in 

 curing. On this point, the Commissioners of the British Fisheries, 

 in their Report for 1844, say — " It is very gratifying to observe, 

 that there is a gradual increase in the annual export of dried Cod 

 to Spain, where a most extensive market for the consumption of 

 this description offish, may be fairly looked for, in the course of 

 some years. This can only be obtained by unremitting care on 

 the part of the Board's officers, in their inspection and punching 

 of the fish, the Spaniards being very particular in regard to the 

 excellence of the article they purchase. The Commissioners have 

 judged it right to order an improvement in the form of the official 

 punch used for stamping the dried Cod and Ling, and instead of 

 that lately used, which cut a square figure out of the tail of the 

 fish, for which some private marks used by curers were liable to be 

 mistaken, they have adopted a crown, which is less liable to be 

 imitated." 



Besides Cod, there are several species of fish of the same genus, 

 caught in the Gulf, in the prosecution of the Cod Fishery. These 

 are — the Haddock (Gadus ceglefinus) — the Hake (Gadus merlu- 

 cius) — and the Torsk, or Tusk, (Gadus brosme.) These fish aie 

 cured in the same manner as Cod, to which, however, they are 

 inferior. They are known commercially as " Scale Fish ;" and 

 on the average, they sell at about half the price of Cod. 



The Cod fishers in the Gulf often take the large flat-fish, known 

 as the Halibut, (Hippoglossus vulgaris of Cuvier) which sometimes 

 attains the weight of 300 lbs. The flesh, though white and firm, is 

 dry, and the muscular fibre coarse. These fish are cut in slices, 

 and pickled in barrels, in which state they sell at half the price of 

 the best Herrings. 



(To be continued?) 



REVIEWS AND NOTICES OF BOOKS, 



Proceedings of the Essex Institution, Salem, Mass. Vol. II., 

 Part I. 1856 to 1857. 

 We have perused this volume with the greatest pleasure. The 

 annual Report of this Society which it contains gives evidence of 

 much life and energy in the prosecution of Natural Science and of 

 History. The aggregate number of its members is three hundred 



