218 [Assembly 



the ocean are named salt-water fish, among them are the herring 

 and cod. 2d. Those which inhabit fresh water, as the carp, trout, 

 pickerel, &c. 3d. Those which migrate from salt to the fresh 

 water, living a portion of their time in each, alternately, as the 

 shad, sturgeon, salmon and others. There is a wonderful varie- 

 ty in the structure, muscles and firmness offish. The muscles of 

 eels are fibrous ; of cod, they are disposed in flakes ; of the whale 

 and sturgeon, they are nearly allied to the flesh of animals. The 

 muscular portions of fish, generally speaking, are not so firm as 

 those of animals ; in some it is oily and fat, in some dry, in others 

 gelatinous. As a general rule fish are in the best condition for 

 the table before the spawning season, and while they are filled with 

 roe, particularly smelt and mackerel. Immediately after spawn- 

 ing I do not consider any fish in season, or in fact wholesome as 

 food. You may always discover whether a fish is in season or 

 not, by observing the muscles when boiled ; if they are very firm, 

 and present a curdy, white appearance, the fish is in season; if 

 on the contrary the muscles appear bluish and transparent, the 

 fish is not in season. Fish are said to surpass all animals in fe- 

 cundity ; a million and a half of ova have been found in a stur- 

 geon ; one hundred and thirty thousand in a mackerel ; one hun- 

 dred and seventy thousand in a carp ; one hundred and sixty- 

 «€ven thousand in a pike, and three millions in a cod fish. 



Shell fish. — Under this head may be named two divisions of 

 crustaceous animals, as crabs, shrimps and lobsters ; these have 

 feet covered with shells, and molluscous, as oysters, cockles, &c.j 

 these are in very great variety. 



The lobster, though nutritive, is not generally imagined to be 

 digestible, and that is the reason they require condiments in 

 their preparation, such asj pepper, vinegar, oil, etc. When 

 stale they are no doubt exceedingly unwholesome ; Ihey are in 

 season from April to September. 



The crab is equally nutritive with the lobster, and about as 

 wholesome ; they are in season during all the mouths in the year 

 -except May, June and July. 



Oysters are generally considered extremely nutritious, and a 

 lighter food, particularly when eaten raw j by cooking they loose 



