[3J NUTRITIVE VALUE OF FISH AND INVERTEBRATES. 435 



some of the albumiuoid compounds of tbe flesh of fish as compared 

 with those of mammals. This included with other matters the experi- 

 ments ui)on artificial digestion above referred to. I liave not yet been 

 able to complete the investigation. The results obtained, however, 

 point to a very great similarity between the flesh of our food-fishes and 

 that of the domestic animals we use for food. I hope to be able to 

 continue the inquiry and to present its results hereafter. 



The present report includes only the analyses of fish and inverte- 

 brates, referred to above as already completed, and such brief explana- 

 tions as its i)urpose, that of a record of the chief statistical facts in 

 the form of a report of progress, seems to require. 



The details of the chemical analyses have been performed, for the 

 most part, by my assistant, Mr. 0. D. Woods, with the aid of Mr. E. 

 B. Voorhees, to whose skill and faithfulness I am happy to bear tes- 

 timony. 



In the report referred to above I had the pleasure of acknowledging 

 contributions of one hundred dollars each from Mr. A. E. Crittenden 

 of Middletown, Conn., and Mr. E. G. Blackford, Fish Commissioner of 

 the State of New York, to which latter gentleman, as well as to Mr. G. 

 H. Shaffer, of the firm of Dorian & Shaffer, of New York, thanks are 

 due not only for a very large number of the specimens of fish and in- 

 vertebrates, but also for collateral information of no little value. It is 

 a source of no little gratification to be permitted to add that Mr. E. B. 

 Thurber, of New York, has generously contributed $500 toward the ex- 

 penses of the analyses of foods, other than fish, just mentioned, and 

 that a still larger sum has been furnished by the liberality of Hon. J. 

 W. Alsop, M. D., of Middletown, Conn., in aid of researches in the 

 laboratory, a considerable portion of which has been used in defraying 

 the cost of the studies in the chemistry of fish. These with some other 

 gifts from private sources have, with a larger amount appropriated to 

 the purpose through the courtesy of Prof. S. F. Baird, Secretary of the 

 Smithsonian Institution and United States Commissioner of Fish and 

 Fisheries, defrayed the incidental expenses of the investigation for as- 

 sistants, materials, &c., and thus rendered it possible. 



ANALYSES OF FISH. 



Tables 1 to X, herewith, contain a resume of the analyses of the flesh 

 of 99 specimens of iish, and of 19 samples of prepared fish-foods, making 

 118 specimens belonging to 51 species of American fo(xl-fishes. They 

 give, however, only such of the data as are most important in their direct 

 bearing upon the food values. The further details, which include de 

 ^criptions of specimens, the composition of the water-free as well as the 

 fresh substance, and numerous determinations of organic and inorganic 

 constituents not mentioned here, will, I trust, be published elsewhere 

 u the near future. 



The methods employed in preparing the materials for analysis and 



