THE TKEPAXG FISHERY. 



815 



The comparative merits of the European and American leeches have beeii discussed in connec- 

 tion with their natural history. 



Table showing the extent and value of Me import and export troile in leeches of Xeir York City, for 1880 (estimated).* 



Xo. imported. Valnr. No. exported. Value. 



300, 000 



$10.500 



100. 000 



$3 500 



Table showing tlte value of foreiyii leeches imported into the United States from July 1, 1871 , to July 1, 1880, according to the 



custom-house records. \ 



Mew OrieHM. New York. 



Jnne30,1872 ...................................... $5,375 $5, 375 



June30,1873 .......... . ............. .............. ! 5,775 5,775 



Juno 30, 1874 ...................................... 6,675 6,675 



June30,1875 ..................................... I, 6,049 6,049 



June' 111). 1876 .......... ! ............................ 5, 712 ! 5,712 



June 30, 1877 .......... ' ........................... ' 4,288 4,288 



.1 line 30, 1878 ..' ....... $128 $5,251 4,351 9,730 



June 30, 1879 .......... 19 4,315 .............. 4,334 



Jmie30,1880 ......... 46 4,651, .............. , 4,697 



Totals ........... 1U3 14,217, 38,225 52,0 



Table shotviny the value of foreign leeches exported from the United States to other countries, from July 1, 1877, to July 1 



1880, according to the custom-house records. 



A-, 



Jim.. 30, 1878 ........................ $82 $675: $758 



June HO, 1879 .................................... , 1,243, 1,243 



JimeSO, 1880 ...................... ! .............. 1,170 1,170 



Totals ........................ 83 3,088 3,171 



2. TFIE TREPANG FISHERY. 



THE TREPANG FISHERY AT KEY WEST. 



THE TREPANG AS AN ARTICLE OF FOOD. The preparation for market of this soft echiuo- 

 derrn, variously designated as holothurian, sea-cucumber, sea-slug, beche de mer, and trepang, 

 was, as the following account will show, once attempted on the Florida coast; but either from 

 want of financial success or for other reasons, it was soon abandoned. The .trepang is commonly 

 used as food in China, which country derives the most of its supplies from the waters about 

 some of the South Pacific islands, where one or more suitable species abound, and are prepared 

 for the Chinese market in large quantities. It is questionable whether Americans could ever be 

 induced to regard the trepan g with favor as an article of food, although Dr. William Stimpson 

 states that a New England species, Pentacta frondosa, when made into a soup, is very palatable. 

 It was, however, for the purpose of supplying the Chinese trade that the Florida industry was 



The figures are furnished by Mr. Herman Witte, of New York. The quantity exported is included in thu 

 quantity imported, as only foreign leeches are exported from this country. 



tThe amounts given in the column of "All other ports," belong undoubtedly to New York, and there is evidently 

 an error in the enumeration for 1878. 



