140 NORTH SEA INVESTIGATIONS. 
very large liver, which goes to fill the liver cask.* There is thus a 
most regrettable waste of good food. 
Dr, Gunther originally directed my attention to the impossibility 
of procuring this fish, which he, with reason, considers one of the 
best that swims, in London, and I find, on inquiry, that they can 
only be sold either to workhouses and such institutions, or to fish- 
hawkers who take them into the country and dispose of them under 
the name of ‘‘ Deep-sea Ling.” This vernacular name is at least as 
apt as that by which they are known to naturalists and fishermen in 
this country, torsk or tusk being etymologically identical with Celtic, 
German, and Scandinavian names applied to the cod and some of its 
congeners. 
If the merits of this fish as an article of food were more widely 
recognised it could not but be beneficial to the industry, and would do 
away with the almost wanton waste that now takes place in the summer, 
whilst the advantage to the consumer would be commensurate. 
In this connection it may be interesting to glance at the fate of 
certain other fishes after they reach the market. Every one knows 
that the parts of the skate which appear at table are the wings or 
pectoral fins, but it may not be so generally known that the removal 
and preparations of these wings is a separate though small industry, 
and that the only consideration received by those engaged in it is 
the refuse of the skate, viz. the head, abdomen, pelvic fins, and tail. 
Nevertheless the business is said to be a paying one. After the 
wings have been removed there remain certain lumps of flesh on the 
carcass, those of most account being the masseter muscles. These 
are carefully removed and disposed of to fried-fish shops as ‘ skates’ 
nobs,” a delicacy much in favour with the patrons of such 
establishments, and reputed to possess the peculiar virtue ascribed 
to skate’s flesh in its greatest degree. I believe, however, I am 
betraying no secret in remarking that there may be ingredients in 
the preparation which are not mentioned in its title. Cat-fish 
(Anarrhichas lupus and A. minor) are prepared for transmission to 
the fishmonger by removing the skin and head, and in this instance 
again the refuse is the recompense of the operator, who cuts out 
the very large cheek muscles. The tail of the monk or angler 
(Lophius piscatorius) when skinned and cut up into lumps is not 
unlike the flesh of the skate; at all events, like the fragments of 
Anarrhichas, it is used to adulterate “‘ skates’ nobs,” and I do not 
know that the latter are considered any the worse for it. 
* The livers and roes of fish are about the only remnants of the old “stocker-bait,” the 
perquisite of the inferior members of the crew. It may not be generally known that 
haddocks were once included in this term. Livers fetch about 10s. and roes about 6s. per 
cask. The former are not infrequently adulterated with Actinoloba dianthus ! 
