ON THE ECONOMICAL USES OF FISHES. 207 



little is eaten fresh, being little relished in that 

 state. 



Another fishery of considerable importance, car- 

 ried on in the Mediterranean, is that for the anchovy, 

 Engraulis encrasicolus. It belongs to the valuable 

 family of the herrings, and is used extensively as 

 food by the inhabitants of many of the countries of 

 southern Europe. In Britain it is well known as 

 contributing to form one of our most admired fish- 

 sauces, which bears its name. As a proof of the 

 extent to which it is used, we may mention that the 

 duty alone on the quantity imported into Britain, 

 was, two or three years ago, £1500 per annum. A 

 large proportion, however, of the so-called anchovy 

 sauce used in this country, is prepared from the 

 white-bait, the fishing of which in the Thames we 

 briefly described a few pages farther back. 



In the Mediterranean, the anchovy is caught 

 during the summer months, and is said to be chiefly 

 taken at night, the fish being attracted by the glare 

 of a large fire from a raft or fishing-boat. Such of 

 the fish as are not eaten when fresh, are pickled 

 much in the same manner as herrings, and packed 

 in barrels, being then ready for the market. Red- 

 coloured salt is sometimes employed to pickle them, 

 and anchovies thus preserved, are considered as of 

 finer flavour than those cured in the usual way with 

 common salt. 



The African fishes of economical use to man, are 

 exceedingly numerous ; but a mere catalogue of 



