REPORT OF COMMISSIONER OF FISH AND FISHERIES. [364] 



the number of pounds therein shall be plainly and legibly branded. 

 Every cask, kid, or package shall be packed with good, clean salt suit- 

 able for the purpose, and, after packing with sufficieut salt to preserve 

 its contents, shall be headed or well secured, and tilled up with a clean, 

 strong pickle. 



Qualities of pickled fish. Ibid., section 37. 



There shall be five qualities of mackerel, three of salmon and shad, 

 and two of other kinds of pickled fish. Mackerel of the best quality, not 

 mutilated, measuring not less than thirteen inches from the extremity 

 of the head to the crotch or fork of the tail, free from rust, taint, or dam- 

 age, shall be branded number one. The next best quality, being not less 

 than eleven inches, measuring as aforesaid, free from rust, taint, or dam- 

 age, shall be branded number two. Those that remain after the above 

 selections, if free from taint or damage, and not less than thirteen inches, 

 measuring as aforesaid, shall be branded number three, large. Those of 

 the next inferior quality, free from taint or damage, not less than teu 

 inches in length as aforesaid, shall be branded number three. All other 

 mackerel free from taint or damage shall be branded number four. 

 Those salmon and shad which are of the best quality for family use, free 

 from rust or damage, shall be selected for number one and number two, 

 the best of them selected and branded number one, the residue, number 

 tiro ; all that remain, free from taint, and sound, shall be branded number 

 three. Of all other pickled fish, the best which are free from taint and 

 damage shall be branded number one, those that remain, free from taint, 

 and sound, number two. 



Penalty for illegally packing. Ibid., section 38. 



Each cask, kid, or package shall be filled with fish of the same kind, 

 or parts of the same kind of fish; and whoever intermixes, takes out, or 

 shifts any inspected fish which are packed or branded as aforesaid, or 

 puts in other fish, for sale or exportation, shall forfeit fifteen dollars for 

 each package so altered. If any casualty renders it necessary to repack 

 a cask of inspected fish, it shall in all cases be done by an inspector 

 of such fish. 



Branding of packages. Ibid., section 39. 



The inspector shall brand in plain, legible letters, on the head of each 

 cask of tisli inspected by him, the denomination of the fish packed or 

 repacked therein, the initials of his Christian name and the whole of his 

 surname, and, if a deputy, the name f of the place for which he is ap- 

 pointed, the letters Mass., and the year in which the fish are packed; 

 and shall also, when, in his judgment, it may be necessary, nail in a 

 suitable manner any cask in which fish are packed. 



