130 The Commercial Products of the Sea. 



25 and 30 fathoms' water in the Firth, soles might also be 

 found there lying in clusters. 



On that part of the northern coast of Ireland connected 

 with Lough Foyle, turbot fishing is carried on from March 

 to November. Turbot average to the fishermen 3^. to 4.9. 

 per dozen, and there are about 12 dozen of turbot sent 

 weekly from Moville to Liverpool and Glasgow. A con- 

 siderable quantity of soles and plaice is also shipped from 

 the trawlers. 



One hundred millions (or about 12,000 tons in weight) 

 of soles are said to be sold annually in Billingsgate. 



Nearly every fish that swims, either in salt or fresh 

 water, is greedily eaten by the natives in India. Sharks 

 especially are much valued, and said to be very pala- 

 table and nutritious. The fishery for these is described in 

 another chapter. In the bazaars of Madras it would be 

 possible to obtain some 200 or 300 kinds of dried fish, 

 including different preparations of the same species. In 

 curing fish, salt, owing to its high price, is used as sparingly 

 as possible, and hence, as a rule, the dried fish of the 

 bazaar has anything but a pleasant odour. In some quar- 

 ters saline earth is used instead of salt, as being cheaper ; 

 but fish cured in this manner is said to have an unpleasant 

 flavour, and to be apt, when continuously used, to bring on 

 itch. The fish most in repute for European tables in 

 Madras are the seer (Cybium Commersonii), the pomfrets 

 (Stromateus niger and ,S. argent eus), and mullets. The seer 

 is sold in cutlets, like salmon in Europe, and is in some 

 respects perhaps superior to salmon, more especially as 

 regards digestibility. 



