FOOD PRODUCTS OF THE SEA— FISHES. 287 



Sardines and anchovies to the value of 723,000 dollars 

 are imported into the United States. The whole boxes 

 of sardines are 5x4x3^ inches ; the half boxes, 5 x 

 4ixl^ inches ; the quarter boxes, 4f x 3^^ x 1^ inches. 



Over 10,000,000 tins are yearly exported from the 

 coasts of Brittany to other countries. The fish as brought 

 in are taken to the market, and either sold to dealers, 

 who pack them off by rail to Paris and other towns, 

 where they are Used fresh, or they are bought by the 

 local factories for preserving in oil. The average annual 

 value of the sardines caught on French coasts, in the 

 three years ending 1870, was officially returned at 

 £400,000, but this was only the nominal declared value, 

 and of late years the amount is much larger. The sardine 

 fishery increases every day in importance, and so do the 

 preserving establishments. At D'Auray, in 1870, there 

 were about twenty of these. The number of fish tinned 

 was 17,300,000 ; pressed and salted, 774,000 ; consumed 

 locally, 1,500,000 ; and sent fresh into the interior, 

 10,000,000 ; and yet in that year it was only half an 

 average catch. At the port of Croisic, where the value 

 of the catch was returned in 1870 at £8,000 for the fresh 

 fish, they sold at twenty francs (16s.) the 1,000, and were 

 readily bought by the preserving factories at Tremblade, 

 Croisic, and Polignen. At Sables d'Olonne the five or 

 six preserving establishments at Gujan, Mestres, &c., put 

 up annually about 1,000,000 lbs. In some years the 

 porpoises are very destructive, frighten off the fish, and. 

 break the nets. 



In 1883 the total number of sardines caught on the 

 French coasts was 1,148^ millions, or rather more than 

 twice the take of 1882. 



The sardine fishery in Tuscany is carried on chiefly 

 around the islands of Elba, Giglio, Orbitello, and Grossito, 

 and produces about 450,000 lbs. of fish. They are 

 generally salted and shipped in barrels of about 130 lbs». 

 The sardines of GallipoU are excellent, but badly pre- 

 pared. The quantity of sardines and anchovies caught 

 on the coast of Italy amounts to about 1,600,000 lbs., to 



