FOOD PRODUCTS OF THE SEA — FISHES. 343 



Fish constitutes the chief animal aliment of all the 

 inhabitants, and everywhere of those of the sea coast, 

 who are by profession fishermen. 



In Japan fish are very abundant and varied, and re- 

 puted excellent ; fish enters largely into the food of the 

 people. Everything produced by the sea is considered 

 edible — whale's flesh, fish of all kinds, moUusca, and 

 octopi, marine animals of every description, sea plants 

 and weeds, are all made to contribute to their support, 

 as they have few edible land animals. Among both rich 

 and poor the red flesh of the whale, which looks like 

 beef, is considered very wholesome and nutritious, and 

 is largely consumed when obtainable. 



The markets are always well supplied, and the stranger 

 is struck by the abundance and variety of species, 

 amongst which are found the principal food fishes of 

 Europe. The tunny is often seen in the markets of 

 Yeddo and Yokohama. The Japanese often eat it raw, 

 cut in thin slices, which they dip in mustard. The 

 mackerel is also common, and the sardine, at the time 

 of its passage, is very abundant on all the coasts, but 

 the consumption cannot absorb the catch. The people 

 on the coast preserve large quantities of fish by simply 

 drying in the sun, and they keep very well by this simple 

 mode of preparation, with only the inconvenience of an 

 unpleasant smell. The cod, sole, flounder, and other flat- 

 fish are taken. The shark is for the Japanese an edible 

 fish, as with the Chinese. There is always a large quantity 

 to be seen in the markets, but they are mostly small 

 ones, and belong to the common species ; the hammer- 

 headed shark, met with on the southern coasts of China, 

 is not seen. The rays attain a large size. The Tai 

 (Serranus marginalis) is considered, with just reason, to be 

 one of the most esteemed of the sea fish. It is as abun- 

 dant on the Japanese coasts as on those of China. They 

 eat 'it raw, seasoned with soy. The herring, like the 

 sardine, is carried to the interior either in its sun-dried 

 state or slightly salted. The salmon, carp, and other 

 fresh-water fish are also abundant. The salmon forms 



