134 THE PRACTICAL FISHERMAN. 



best of all being procured from the whitebait ; and it was the custom 

 amongst hawkers regularly, before selling any ' white fish,' as they were 

 termed, to supply the bead makers with their scales." Some idea may 

 be formed from this of the magnitude of the trade, and also, it may be 

 said, of the plenitude of these little fishes in the localities where the 

 manufacture was carried on. 



The chief places from which the " Oriental " essence was derived were 

 on the southern coast of France, Anjou, Ecoufflans, and Point de Ce. 

 The process of detachment from the fish is as follows, and was principally 

 carried on by children : The fish are taken when quite fresh, and the 

 scales scraped into a shallow tub^ containing a little water. The dark 

 dorsal part of the fish is not scraped, as the scales on this part are 

 yellow and useless. The whole is ultimately received in a horsehair sieve. 



The first water is thrown, and the scales are gently washed and then 

 pressed. The essence settles to the bottom of the tub as a brilliant 

 blue-white oily mass. The pancreas and intestines of the fish possess 

 this " essence," but these are (or were) thrown away as useless. The 

 " Oriental Essence " is then put into tin boxes, filled up with ammonia, 

 and sent into Paris. In filling the pearls a tiny tube draws up a quantity 

 of the guanine, and it is then injected into the hollow bead. A current 

 of dry air is then passed over the pearls, and they are ready for market. 

 If greater solidity is requiied they are filled with melted wax. 



The guanine, or oriental essence, under the microscope, seems to be 

 composed of an albumenoid oily kind of liquid, in which swim multitudes 

 of tiny scales. The largest of these are rectangular in shape, about four 

 times as long as wide, and each has three colourless cylindrical veins. 

 The guanine is difficult to mix with water, and is insoluble in acetic acid 

 and ammonia, but combines freely with sulphuric acid. Heat coagulates 

 it into a thick white mass, which afterwards turns black, if not prevented 

 by instant cooling. Such are some of its physical characteristics. It 

 has been conjectured that it is a natural secretion, very much resembling 

 the secretion of the oyster which forms the true pearl, and there seems 

 some very reasonable grounds for this view. 



Gastronomically I esteem Leucisus albuminus as on an equal with the 

 salt-water sprat. Walton terms him the fresh-water sprat ; not a bad 

 description. Mr. Pennell says the fish is good marinated ; I prefer them 

 fried in oil, or as gudgeons are cooked by one or two Thames fishermen's 

 wives I could name. They are exceedingly delicate eating, and I frankly 

 confess I esteem them as being very toothsome if carefully dressed as I 

 have indicated. I have often wondered if they preserve well in oil d la 

 sardines. Here is a hint look to it, ye gastronomers ! 



In angling for this fish it must, of course, be borne in mind that no 



