ON THE BEST KINDS OF FISH FOE EIVEK8. 149 



sueli I treat of them. In rivers, however, like the 

 XJsk, Severn, and Wye, where the coarse fish have 

 increased so much in parts as to become a positive 

 nuisance, I would keep th«m down by every means 

 in my power. 



Dace and roach are very fair eating when taken iii 

 clear gravelly rivers. They may be pickled or potted 

 orpkinly broiled, salted and peppered, a slice of butter 

 being laid on them while hot. Even chub can be 

 eaten in this way, but any fish of above half a pound 

 should be crimped. Barbel are liked well enough by 

 some people, but the fish should be split down the 

 back, and the backbone should be taken out before 

 it is broiled. Indeed, few of these fish are reaUy 

 thrown away, for they form acceptable articles of 

 food amongst the poorer classes, whUe the Jews at 

 their various fasts employ them largely ; so much so, 

 that I have known sixteen shillings per hundred 

 paid for average-sized dace. The Jews, however, as 

 it is weU known, are adepts in cooking fish, and we 

 might take a usefal lesson from them in this respect. 

 Everything, however, depends as regards their tooth- 

 someness upon the cooking. Perhaps jack and tench 

 are the only two which are ever now subjected to 

 plain boiHng; but even with jack, veal stuffing is 

 used to give flavour to the dish. Some people think 



