182 Thirty-Third Annual Meeting 
and that its flesh, when properly prepared, was pleasing to the 
palate of many people. 
A knowledge of these experiments led a canner in Cape Bre- 
ton to can some dogfish and make a serious attempt to introduce 
the article to general use. His efforts have at least elicited very 
favorable reports from those who have eaten of the new viand. 
Having thus possibilities of usefulness in three directions, we 
may indulge the hope that in the future, not very remote, this 
scourge of the coast fisheries may become a source of profit to the 
fishermen and of utility to the public at large. 
In these remarks I have named but a few species of neglected 
fishes. There are many others that are worthy of attention, 
though in a subordinate degree, and let us hope that each will 
some time come to occupy that position in the ministry to man’s 
wants which nature has marked out for it. 
I commend to you, gentlemen, the fostering of this good 
work—the rescuing of good material for the sustenance and com- 
fort of mankind from a position of neglect or something worse. 
Many of you are in positions which enable you to give effective 
impulses to the movement, and such impulses it certainly de- 
mands. Men in general are wofully given to moving in ruts— 
to moving, in the matter of sustenance, forever in the narrow 
groove into which ancestral prejudice or fashionable dictation 
has led them. To get out of their ruts they must be led out. 
DISCUSSION OF MR. CHARLES G. ATKINS’ PAPER. 
t 
Dr. Bean: I would like to ask Mr. Atkins whether or not 
he included the skate as one of the fishes which is not eaten. 
Mr. Atkins: Yes. 
Dr. Bean: The skate, it may be stated, is sold regularly 
now in the New York markets and doubtless wherever French 
people or their descendants are met with. As Mr. Atkins of 
course knows, it is not at all an unpalatable dish, and it can be 
found on the bills of fare of many of the trans-Atlantic steamers 
under the name of ray. It is really very good. It is sold doubt- 
less in New Orleans and other cities which contains a large per- 
centage of French population. 
