98 



SALMONIA. 



and cold in preserving the curd of fish. 

 Have you ever thought on this subject? 



HAL. Yes: I conclude that the fat of 

 salmon between the flakes, is mixed with 

 much albumen and gelatine, and is extremely 

 liable to decompose, and by keeping it cool 

 the decomposition is retarded, and by the 

 boiling salt and water, which is of a higher 

 temperature than that of common boiling 

 water, the albumen is coagulated, and the 

 curdiness preserved. The crimping, by 

 preventing the irritability of the fibre from 

 being gradually exhausted, seems to pre- 

 serve it so hard and crisp, that it breaks un- 

 der the teeth ; and a fresh fish not crimped 

 is generally tough. A friend of mine, an 

 excellent angler, has made some experi- 

 ments on the fat of fish; and he considers 

 the red colour of trout, salmon, and char, as 

 owing to a peculiar coloured oil, w r hich may 

 be extracted by alcohol; and this accounts 

 for the want of it in fish that have fed ill, 

 and after spawning. In general, the depth 

 of the red colour, and the quantity of curd 

 are proportional. 



