FOOD PRODUCTS OF THE SEA — FISHES. 261 



<i la Buckland, sheepsheads with Agassiz sauce, aspic of 

 "Cels d la Huxley, and bisque of lobster, Seth Green style. 

 It was a memorable feast, and taxed the culinary skill of 

 the cooks at the Centennial to the utmost. One par- 

 ticular dish seems to have puzzled even the most in- 

 genious chefs, and that was kanten ,(Japanese seaweed) 

 •d la Sekizawa Akekio. The aid of the Japanese cook in 

 the employ of the Japanese Commission was at last in- 

 voked, and he proved equal to its toothsome prepara- 

 tion. 



The bill o£ fare of a regular Mandarin supper given 

 >by Sir Charles Macdonnell at Hong Kong in 1867 to the 

 Due de Penthievre, the Comte de Beauvois, and some 

 other French gentlemen, contained the following items : 

 fish roe in sweet caramel sauce ; shark's fins in gelatinous 

 sauce ; cakes of coagulated blood ; hashed dog with lotus 

 sauce; bird's-nest soup; whale's nerves with sweet 

 sauce ; sturgeon's gills in compote ; croquettes of fish 

 ^nd rat ; shark's fat soup ; stewed sea snails with tad- 

 poles ; and a sweet course composed of fish fins, frilit, 

 ham, almonds and essences. 



Mr. J. Bertram published some ten years ago a work, 

 'under the title of " The Harvest of the Sea " (London : 

 Murray); but it was more descriptive and theoretical 

 than practical, or useful as to details concerning the 

 general supply of fish, and was restricted to the British 

 food fishes. Mr. Buckland's reports on the sea fisheries 

 of England and Wales were much more full and 

 important, and from these I have been able to quote 

 largely. 



The fresh fish supply of London, in 1880, was thus 

 ■ofiicially returned : — 



Brought in by rail 87,884 tons. 



,, at the -wharves 5,487 „ 



„ by water 37,258 „ 



130,629 „ 

 'The following table gives the sources whence drawn. 



