JAPAN IN THE COMMERCE OF THE WORLD. 535 



reports frequently include them all under the title " dried fish." 

 Following their order in the Japanese customs-register, where they 

 are usually designated with the epithet Hoshi, "dried," we find 

 first :— 



{a) Iriko, Trepang,^ sea-cucumber, sea-slug. Beche de Mer (Holo- 

 thuria ediilis), English consular reports mention this article either 

 by its Japanese or French name. Iriko is found on all Japanese 

 coasts. The value of the yearly exportation during the last five 

 years averaged 216,973 Y^^- 



[b] Surume {Ojiychoteuthis Banksii). All cephalopods which 

 are used in Japan and China for food are embraced in trade lists 

 under the name ink-fish, Jap. Ika, and cuttlefish, Jap. Tako {Octo- 

 pus). Surume heads the list in Japan ; \\L2^'S\xxw'ix\&{prnmastrephes), 

 Tako, Shi-dako {Eledoiie), and Tachi-ika {Loligo and Loligopsis) 

 are much used. Most of these creatures move about in shoals, 

 coming and going often with arrow-like rapidity, and in some years 

 appearing frequently on certain coasts, in others only in small 

 numbers, changing their course, like other wandering marine 

 animals. The average value of the shipments of these cephalo- 

 pods from all Japanese ports during 1881-1885 was 705,110 yen. 

 Besides these, quantities are eaten in the country itself 



(c) Hoshi- Awabi, dried mussel of the ear-shell {Haliotis gigantea 

 and B. japonica). The annual value of exports of these the most 

 important Japanese mussels, amounts to 378,000 yen. To this must 

 be added shells that bear mother of pearl, with a value of 18,000 

 to 20,000 yen. By far the greatest amount of Hoshi-Awabi is 

 shipped from Yokohama. All other mussels that are exported are 

 usually embraced in the term Hoshi-gai-rui, dried mussels. To • 

 these belong Hamaguri {Cytherea inereirix^ Lin., C. Itcsoria, Chann.), 

 Kaibashi-rui (species of arks), Aka-gai {Scapharca i7tflata, Reeve), 

 and many others. 



{d) Hoshi-ebi, dried crabs. The English consular reports 

 mention this article by the name of shrimps (Jap. Shiba-ebi) ; but 

 there are many varieties. The amount exported annually is con- 

 siderable (see Table IV.). 



{e) Fuka-no-hire, shark's-fins, a well-known delicacy of the 

 Chinese. The mean value of the annual exportation of 1 881-1885 

 was 57,107 yen. 



(/) Shiwo-shake, salted salmon, chiefly from Yezo, where the 

 Shake {Oncorhyjichns Haberi, Hlgd.) and the Masu (O. Perryi^ 

 Brevoort) occur in great numbers, especially in the lower Ishi- 

 kari. 



^ The edible Holothuria, known by the Chinese name Trepang, are also 

 gathered on the shores of the Malay Archipelago, and of many South Sea 

 Islands, where they lie apparently motionless on sandy ground. Out of water, 

 they die immediately and become a slimy mass. They must therefore be cut 

 up at once, the digestive canal being taken out, and then they are dipped in boil- 

 ing water and dried in the air. 



