SOME FISH NOTES 331 



turned to account by pursuing the dog-fish in turn, and 

 utilising them for eating purposes. He wrote : 



" SIRS, I have read with interest the complaints of 

 Cornish and Devonshire fishermen about the voracious dog- 

 fish. Many years ago Brighton fishermen made similar 

 complaints, but they long ago learnt that the dog-fish is one 

 of the most appetising and nourishing of all fishes, and they 

 eat both ' pin-dog' [piked dog-fish] and ' huss' [larger spotted 

 dog-fish] with the greatest gusto, instead of cursing them, 

 cutting their heads off, and throwing them back into the 

 ocean, as was their custom once. I am glad to see these fishes 

 now en evidence on fish-stalls in London, because no fish is 

 richer in nutritive properties ; the flesh is firm, sweet, and far 

 superior to plaice or haddock, as your readers would realise 

 if they got over the natural repugnance the ugliness of the 

 fish excites, and tried them as food fried or stewed as eels. 



" If they are so plentiful on the Cornish coasts, they 

 should well repay catching and marketing ; and, indeed, I 

 shall be much surprised if the Cornish fisherman has not 

 already learned their good value, the more so as conger 

 a far inferior fish is esteemed in a pie as a dainty of the 

 highest excellence. There happens to be a saying that the 

 devil himself never visits Cornwall for fear of being made 

 into a pie, and if the good folk of Cornwall have not learnt 

 the excellence and value of dog-fish for eating by this time, 

 I advise them to at once put it to the test either as a pie, 

 stewed, or fried. " M. H." 



" G. C," in an enthusiastic note on the subject, launched 

 out into the natural history of the various species, and de- 

 tailed the various uses he thought dog-fish might be turned 

 to: 



"... This should not prove anything but a profitable under- 

 taking, as the flesh is eaten it is used largely by purveyors 

 of the fried article and, I understand, much appreciated ; the 

 livers yield good oil ; the skins of both species of the spotted 

 order are studded with tubercles of dentine capped with 

 enamel, which make capital ' rub-skin ' for polishing. . . . The 

 eggs also may be prepared as a delicacy. So it appears to 

 me that, through ignorance or the national trait of improvi- 

 dence, we refuse to make use of these much-maligned species 

 which have really been placed in our waters for our benefit. 

 I trust my items are correct, as with Mr. Patterson about we 

 laymen write in fear and trembling [sic], and that my small 

 endeavours may lead to some active 'dog battues,' in which I 

 trust that I may be invited to take part." 



