446 ANIMAL FOOD RESOURCES OF DIFFERENT NATIONS. 



paration of Trepang, I must refer the reader to another 

 volume of mine.* 



Some species of Holothuria called " Namako " are 

 eaten raw in Japan, and when steamed and dried are 

 largely shipped to China. 



The mode of cooking trepang is as follows: — Soak 

 it in cold water for an hour, then clean it and scrape it 

 carefully. Boil it for eight hours in water with a little 

 salt added, wash, scrape and clean it anew ; and soak it 

 in cold water for two hours. Then cover it with meat 

 gravy, season and cook it for half-an-hour more, and 

 serve it hot. 



The export of trepang from the French island of New 

 Caledonia amounts in value to £4,000. The specimens 

 shown at the Paris Exhibition in 1878, from New Cale- 

 donia, were thus classed and priced : — 



1st quality, black, 1.90 to 2 francs, the kilo. 



2nd quality, small black, 1.25 to 1.30 francs, the kilo. 



3rd quality, red fish, 1 franc, the kilo. 



Large white, 70 cents, the kilo. 



9,131 kilos of trepang, value 7,255 francs, were 

 shipped from Tahiti, in 1875, they are taken principally 

 at the Pomotous. 



From a careful investigation of the returns of im- 

 ports at the Chinese trade ports, the receipts of trepang 

 in 1871 were about 10,000 piculs, or 12,500 cwt. In 

 1875 it was 21,360 cwt. 



The average annual imports into China of marine 

 food products, were in the five years ending respectively 

 as follows : — 



1870. 1875. 



Beche-de-mer 16,674 Piculs 19,487 Piculs. 



Fish, dried and salted ... 38,437 , 36,439 „ 



Isinglass 2,953 „ 3,943 „ 



Shell fish and Crustacea, ) 



Awaba (Haliotids), [■ 10,060 „ 17,439 „ 



dried shrimps, &c. J 

 The picul is a little oyer 133 lbs. avoirdupois. 



* "The Commercial Products of the Sea," Griffith and Farran. 



