CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF FOOD FISHES. 
859 
showing the characteristic composition of specimens of a given source 
or at a given time. To find, for instance, the average composition of 
oysters from a given locality, and the differences in composition in 
different seasons of the year and in different years, would require an 
investigation to extend through a year or several years, and to include 
a large number of analyses of specimens especially gathered for the 
purpose. 
The variations in the proportions of flesh, liquids, and shell are so 
clearly shown in Table xvii that further explanation is hardly neces- 
sary. 
The details of the proportion of flesh, liquids, and shells and of the 
composition of the flesh, liquids, and whole edible portion are given in 
Table xix, which includes all the specimens analyzed. Table xvm re- 
capitulates the composition of the edible portion of a number of speci- 
mens of oysters, clams, and mussels. It is interesting to note the varia- 
tions in the composition of the oysters in this table. The percentages 
of water range from 84.8 to 90.1 per cent, in the specimens here cited. 
In one of those not here given, but included in Table iv, the percentage 
of water rose to 91.5. The percentage of water-free substance, i. e ., 
total nutrients, in each case, is the difference between the percentages!' 
water and 100. The nutrients accordingly range from 18.3 to 8.5 per 
cent. In other words, the proportion of nutritive material was more 
than twice as large in some cases as in others. The largest proportion 
of nutrients was in a specimen of Blue Points, taken in April j the 
smallest is in one from Norfolk, Ya., also taken in April. 
Table XVIII . — Proportions of water and nutritive ingredients in edible portion of speci- 
mens of shellfish from different localities and at different times. 
Nutrients. 
Kind, locality, and time. 
Water. 
Nutri- 
ents. 
Protein. 
Fats. 
Carbo- 
hydrates. 
Mineral 
mat- 
ters. 
Ousters: 
P.ct. 
P. ct. 
P.ct. 
P. ct. 
P. ct. 
P. ct. 
Stony Creek, April 
90.1 
9.9 
4.6 
0.6 
2.0 
2.7 
Stony Creek, November 
84.8 
15. 2 
6.9 
1.4 
4.5 
2.4 
Stony Creek, Marcli 
87.2 
12.8 
6.3 
1.0 
3.2 
2.3 
Fair Haven, April 
85.1 
14.9 
7.5 
1.4 
3.5 i 
2.5 
Fair Haven, November 
85.3 
14.7 
6.2 
1.3 
5.0 
2.2 
Fair Haven, March 
84.6 
15.4 
7.7 
1.3 
3.5 
2.9 
Blue Points, April 
81.7 
18.3 
8.2 
1.7 
6.5 
1.9 
Blue Points, November 
88.3 
11.7 
5.8 
0.8 
2.9 
2.2 
Blue Points, February 
90.2 
9.8 
5.0 
0.9 
2.3 
1.6 
Shrewsbury, April 
85.4 
14.6 
6.5 
1.6 
5.0 
1.5 
Shrewsbury, November 
89.2 
10.8 
4.9 
1.0 
3.2 
1.7 
Shrewsbury, February 
85.2 
14.8 
6. 2 
1.5 
5.2 
1.9 
Potomac River, 3 weeks after transplanting* . 
86.6 
13.4 
5.9 
1.2 
3.8 
2.5 
Potomac River, 6 months after transplanting* 
87.4 
12.6 
6.3 
1.2 
3.7 
1.4 
James River, 5 weeks after transplanting* .. 
90.1 
» 9.9 
4.6 
0.8 
2.3 
2. 2 
James River, 6 months after transplanting* 
87.0 
13.0 
8.0 
1.3 
2. 2 
1. 5 
Specimen with maximum of nutrients 
81.7 
18.3 
8.2 
1.7 
6. 5 
1.9 
Specimen with minimum of nutrients 
91.5 
8.5 
4. 5 
0.6 
1.7 
1.7 
Average of 34 specimens 
Long clams : 
87.3 
12.7 
5.9 
1.2 
3.6 
2.0 
Specimen with maximum of nutrients 
85 0 
15.0 
7.6 
1.2 
3.4 
2.8 
Specimen with minimum of nutrients 
86.1 
13.9 
8.4 
1.0 
2.4 
2.1 
Average of four specimens 
85.9 
14.1 
8.2 
1.0 
2.3 
2.6 
Round clams 
86.2 
13.8 
6.6 
0.4 
4.1 
2.7 
Mussels 
84.2 
15.8 
8.7 
1.1 
i 41 
1.9 
* To New Haven Harbor. 
