44 Timehri. 



received its name from the markings being compared to those on the face 

 of an old sun-burnt and pock-marked Dutch skipper named Jacob 

 Evertzen 



It will be interesting to note what fishes were sold in the market 

 over a century ago and compare them with the fish supply of to-day. 

 Ilesides Jacob Evertzen there were Queriman, Pourtouche (Porgy?) 

 Bashaw, Mullet and Cartaback, all put in the higher class to be sold at 

 a schelling and a half per pound (.15c.) ; all other kinds were to be five 

 stivers (.10c.) We may safely state that those in the first-class are wor- 

 thy of their place, but they are by no means all the good fishes we have. 



The Porgy (Stenotomus chrysops) is not equal to the snapper but it 

 is a good sea fish, and is to be found in the market. Possibly the jew- 

 tish (Plectropoma chlorurum) is one of the most popular of sea fishes if 

 we judge by the price (16 cents) at which it was once readily sold. Forty 

 years ago we sometimes heard an old Portuguese man on the streets 

 ringing a bell and repeating in a sing-song way — 



" Jew-fish in the market, two bits a pound. 

 Who don't want it, leave it alone, " 



Other sea fishes might be got from the blue water, and it may be 

 safely stated that there is by no means anything like a full supply. 



Coming now to those scale fishes which are caught within an eas}^ 

 distance in brackish water, I give the first place to the Queriman, which 

 when small goes under the name of mullet, (Mugil curema\ This is un- 

 doubtedly very nice, under either name ; it is also clean-looking, silvery 

 with dark stripes. The bashaw (Plagioscion auratus) is a good fish but 

 not equal to the mullet. In the young stage this, and several other small 

 silvery species, are known as butter-fishes, possibly from their being- 

 fried in butter. In these, and in fact most fishes, much depends upon 

 the cook, who can make appetising dishes of many kinds that are others 

 wise rather tasteless. Butter-fishes include, besides bashaws, Nebri- 

 microps and bungomaree (Macrodon ancyloclon). The Snoeks (Centro- 

 pomus ensiferus and C. undecimalis) from the Dutch name for pike, are 

 easily recognised by their tapering snouts ; they are very nice when 

 properly cooked. Among our fishes are herrings and sardines, so-called, 

 but they cannot be compared with the real kinds. However, they would 

 make fair substitutes if properly prepared and if they could be obtained 

 in quantity. Shoals of fish such as are seen in northern seas are however 

 quite unknown here ; it follows therefore that with only a few here and 

 there fish-curing is practically out of the question. The Guiana herring 

 is Ilisha flavipennis and the sardine or anchovy. Stolephorus spinifer. 



Coming now to the scale fishes of the rivers and creeks probably the 

 most important is the pacou (Myleus pacu). This has been always 

 plentiful in the North-West and was brought to the settlements in early 

 times iu large (juantities, after being split and dried on the barbecue. 



