284 SEALB. 



skin may be smooth, or covered with prickle-like teats arranged in rows 

 or scattered over the body. In color they range from pale flesh-color 

 to black. These animals, when dry, are hard, sausage-shaped, and appear 

 to be altogether unpalatable and it is not until they have been cleaned, 

 minced, and made into a most delicious soup by the skillful hand of 

 the Chinese )cbb]s. . that' the real value of this product of thp sea is 

 understood, ^eche de mer live among the white sand and coral in the 

 sea-gardens and feed upon small sea-animals and sea- vegetation, so there 

 is no reason why they should not rank as a delicious food product and 

 come into general use among Europeans and Americans. I can, from 

 experience, heartily recommend a trial of trepang soup '■ to those who 

 delight in a dish free from the contaminations of the land, with a delieatfe' 

 aroma of the deep sea about it. 



' ; VARIETIES OF PHILIPPINE TREPANG. ; ; i 



In Manila all the large dealers in trepang are Chinese. They recognize 

 five different varieties, as follows : 



No. 1? — Oe (Plate I, fig. 1). A large, uniformly black, perfectly 

 smooth variety (B.. atra Jaeger) . This species, when dry, is from 120 to 

 200 millimeters in length and 40 to 60 millimeters in diameter. This is 

 regarded as the most desirable species found in the Islands and sells for 

 the highest price, being valued at 65 to 98 centavos per kilogram whole- 

 sale, according to the size of the animal, and care in curing. I will 

 call it the great smooth black trepang. 



No. 2. — Gan Sim (Plate I, fig. 2), is a large brownish trepang, With 

 two rows of teats on each side. The animal, when dry, is of a rather 

 flat, oval shape, about 120 millimeters in length and 60 millimeters' in 

 width. Its back is but slightly roughened. This species is regarded as 

 being next to the best variety, sells for 40 to 80 centavos per kilogram, 

 and is in fair demand. We will call it the great oval brown trepang.' ' 



No. S. — Bark Sim (Plate I, fig/ 3) is the third grade of trepang and 

 to this belongs the great mass of trepang shipped from the Islands'. ' It 

 includes a large variety of forms ranging in price from 35 to 70 centavos 



' To make trepang soup. — Clean and wash out the trepang in cold water, slice 

 and put them in a chopping bowl and mince fine, soak in cold water five hours, 

 then boil for one hpur, add salt and pepper and a quantity of beef or cljiqken 

 stock ap(J brin^ to a boil. Serve hot. [Sing Fat.] ' 



"I have been'ilnable to find anyone in the Philippines who recognized or could 

 give ine'anjr Information regarding the names giveii to the Philippine trepang "by 

 Simmonds in bis Commercial Products of the Sea, although I have repeatedly, 

 a^edj . dealers and. fishermen both In Jolo and Manila. It is possible: that hip 

 8o..called ."banl^'plungen" is ; the gan sinj, his "munang" the oe, l^is "telepan"' the 

 moi whar che, his "sapatos grande" the smooth white ringed . hark sim, .his 

 "sapatos china" is perhaps the great convoluted bark sim, and his "loWalowa'A" 

 is possibly th'e'feftrk sim, called the small black wrinked trepatig in the pVeSent 

 paper. '; • .'. '!,j| 



