SEA MUSSELS AND DOGFISH AS FOOD. 251 
I think, refer to the possibilities of the dogfish as 4 producer of oil and manure. I 
imagine that already the fish is used in those directions. The paper is limited to the 
question as to its use for food. 
One little matter in regard to the mussels occurs to me: It is very easy indeed 
-once an industry is established for bringing the mussels to market, to fish out natural 
beds, or scalps, as they are called in England; and I would recommend that if this 
question is taken up—the question of developing the trade by opening up the markets— 
the other side of the question should be dealt with at the same time and precautions 
taken against the possible depletion of the natural beds. 
Mr. T. E. Lippy (Maine). I just want to say a word in regard to the dogfish, for the 
simple reason that it is the most destructive thing to the fisheries that I know of. It is 
an international question, as all those familiar with it know that there is no fish along 
the Atlantic and Canadian shores that is so destructive to the fisheries, especially for the 
ground fish. As I understand from United States Fish Commissioner Bowers, there 
was a bill introduced in Congress appropriating $25,000 to see what could be done in 
regard to the dogfish—the best way to utilize it. This bill, as I understand, has got no 
further. There have been also bills introduced in the Massachusetts legislature, but 
nothing has come from that; I am pleased to state, however, that I understand, and we 
will no doubt hear from Professor Prince, that the Canadian government has been doing 
and is doing to-day something in regard to the extermination of the dogfish, not making 
it an article of food, but using it for the oil and as a fertilizer. I think that the dogfish 
as found along the southern shores is much different from the one found on the northern 
shores, for the reason that it has a smooth skin and the one on the northern shores is 
of a rough skin. I know I have seen some of those cured myself, and the northern dog- 
fish when cured is very white at first; inside of a month, however, it will turn a yellow- 
ish cast, and I have seen efforts to put it on the market, but these were unsuccessful, 
because of its turning in color. The dogfish in the north has a very large liver, which 
of course makes it produce a very large amount of oil. For this reason the oil is all 
through the meat and causes it to turn. 
This is a very important question, and I hope there will be some resolutions intro- 
duced in this congress encouraging the passing of some bill by the National Congress for 
the extermination of the dogfish. 
Mr. Fryer. I do not want to become a dogfish and monopolize the conversation, 
but the remark Mr. Libby was good enough to make to me just now that the dogfish is 
used for the purpose of oil reminds me that experiments have been made in England 
with the eggs of the dogfish, with the result that in an immature state they have been 
declared to contain constituents almost exactly similar to those of hen’s eggs, and to be 
extremely nutritious. The only thing against them is their flavor; but following that 
up, further experiments have shown that the eggs can be used for the production of a 
very high class of medicinal oil. I think that the suggestion might possibly be of practi- 
cal advantage if it were made known. 
Doctor Girt. What dogfish do you mean? 
Mr. Fryer. The dogfish known as “rough hound.” I forget the scientific name 
for-the moment. 
Doctor Gir. Yes, you mean sharks of the family of scylliorhinids; they differ very 
greatly from the dogfishes of our coast; they lay eggs inclosed in cases, whereas the piked 
dogfish or acanth, as well as the smooth dogfish, or mustel, do not hatch eggs at all 
externally; in fact they are viviparous. 
Mr. Fryer. It is the Squalus catulus I am speaking of. 
Doctor Giiy. A scylliorhinid. 
The PRESIDENT. It may be that’ another possible use for the eggs of the dogfish 
would be for the purpose of producing albumen for preparing photographic films. That 
only occurred to me at this moment. 
