AND THE FISH THEREOF. 



141 



CHAPTER VIII. 



THE FISH-MARKETS. 



Description. 



HE most interesting fish-market on the Istro-Dalmatian coast 

 in respect to the variety of submarine produce exposed for 

 sale is that of Spalato ; next in order come Trieste, 

 Rovigno, Fiume, Zara, the others being pretty well on a par 

 with one another. 



Out of a total of 1 18 different species of produce brought 

 to market in 1878, the respective official figures were: — ■ 

 Spalato, 95; Trieste, 78; Rovigno, 70; Pola, 56; Zara, 55; Lussinpiccolo 

 and Ragusa, 54; Megline, 38. Of Fiume there are no data. 1 



Each market has its spdciatitd at certain seasons ; for instance, Fiume, 

 the Scampi (Norway Lobster) ; Zara, a great variety of Crustaceans, amongst 

 which is the Rock Lobster {Palinurus vulgaris); Sebenico, the Dentate delta 

 corona {Dentex gibbosus), whilst at Spalato the Pelamid and Lichia (Lizsa) 

 are very abundant. Trieste being the best market, most of the spccialites of 

 other markets are sent there for sale, for instance, the Scampo of Fiume, the 

 Tunny of Croatia, and the Rock Lobster from Dalmatia, &c. 



As a rule, the most valued of the Adriatic fishes are the Basse (Branzin), 

 the Dentex {Dentate), the Surmullets (Barboue and Triglia), the Red, or 

 Spanish Sea-bream (Ribotie), the Gilt-head (Orada); these are always more 

 or less common, especially in autumn and spring. The summer fisheries 



1 The well-defined, prevalent species which, according to the official statistics, appear in the 

 Adriatic fish-markets, may be given at ten crustaceans, thirty mollusks, and about ninety fishes, 

 excluding the larger sharks, and uniting under one name various species of the same genus. 



