258 REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [28] 
Thus the flesh of flounder had 85 per cent. of water and only 15 per 
cent. of solids, while that of salmon contained 36} per cent. of solids 
and 634 per cent. of water, and the flesh of dried, smoked, and salt 
fish have still less water. Among the more watery kinds of fish are 
the flounder, cod, striped bass, and blue fish. Among those with less 
water and more solids are mackerel, shad, salmon, and salt and dried 
fish. The flesh of fish generally, though not always, contains more 
water than ordinary meats, as may be seen in Table VIII beyond. 
Since neither the refuse, bones, entrails, &c., nor the water in the 
flesh have any food-value, the actual nutritive material of the fish is, 
of course, the dry substance of the flesh. To find the actual nutritive 
substance in a sample of fish we must first subtract the waste—the en- 
trails, bones, skins, &c.—which leaves the flesh. We must then allow 
for the water in the flesh. What remains will be the total edible solids 
or actual nutrients in the sample. Thus, the sample of flounder No. II 
has 32 per cent. of flesh, of which only 15 per cent. is dry substance, 
so that the edible solids amount to only 15 per cent. of 32 per cent., 
or about 4.8 per cent. of the whole (as recalculated in Table IV, 4.85 
per cent.). That is, 100 pounds of flounder like this sample would 
furnish only 43 pounds of nutrients, the rest being water and refuse. 
As explained in “Methods of analysis,” however, the skin, which is 
nutritious and frequently eaten, is here reckoned as refuse. Consider- 
ing, further, the small portions of flesh which could not be conveniently 
separated from the skin, bones, &c., the figures for the total edible solids 
are a trifle too small. Still the deficit is inconsiderable, and the figures 
are doubtless not far from a correct expression of the amounts of nutri- 
tive material which the samples would furnish in household use. Below 
the samples are arranged in the order of the percentages of edible 
solids. 
Total edible solids, actual nutrients, in 100 pounds of samples as received from markets. 
a g As 
g ee E 
es AS a 
) aS = 
¢ on ee 
Kind of fish and portion taken for analyses. aS S = 
; ry $A 23 
oO elise tea 
Q On " 38 
E nas © 
=| oO Ry b 
7; AY < 
; : ’ Per cent. | Per cent. 
California salmon, edible portion of anterior part ...........-...---. XEXSVORT: 39: 39 | scaceoqses 
palmonventnalls: TOMOVEd. <=... ..6.-<cccsessescectlccennconet saoceae XIV 26.157, | sacemneeee 
Smoked halibut ..2.s-ceces-saecss--- cece kl aie die coe ee XXVIO 31.63) | ceeascerme 
Salimackerelmeccet oss asses coset ed once coe eer eh ee ee GH Hf 3097 |e gee sneeee 
PS ONGUICOU TAR tas ene soe ee aes le sk cena cecee sce kts Ome ent eee XeRGV 30.91 2a cence 
Cannedisaimont eo. = sa. nemceiniss 22s accaieoacacces comet ee eee D'O"d Di 29; 95,1 cemsceseie 
Smokedshermin gy sty sacs cates anes e sce ek Cera coe tee ee ee XEXeX 28.66) soccceceer 
Eels, salt water; skin, head, and entrails removed.................. IV 22550) lace aeteeiees 
Halibut, section of body:-fat on. sees cee testo tke Lee ID:€ PY ep EH ae as 
Halibut, posterior part of body, lean.-........ 20.22... cee ee nnee eee 15. 67 21. 40 
Spanish mackerel, whole .....................--.. Ree am ts MME ee XLUI QONGST Reece 
Salticod! Shoat iishityocccss ce seo aent cscs ccs OMe Loe en ee eee 9:0:O'4 20:99". eos tee 
