1849.] Catalogue of Malayan Fishes. v 



(Squali), but equally from Rays (Rajae). Quantities examined at Pinang 

 were composed of fins of the following Genera : Stegostoma, Car- 

 charias, Sphyrna, Pristis, Rhinobatus, Trygon and Myliohatis. Of all 

 fishes Sharks and Rays are the most valuable to the Chinese. The 

 flesh and entrails of all, not even the electric Rays {Torpedinidce) ex- 

 cepted, are eaten either fresh or dried ; the skin is used for polishing 

 or converted into shagreen ; gelatina is obtained from the larger 

 fins, glue from the smaller. All, except the caudal fins, are cut at 

 the root so as to leave as little flesh as possible. The root is dipped 

 in wetted lime (Chunam) in the erroneous belief of preventing attacks 

 of insects, and then the fins are dried in the sun. Those imported in 

 the Straits Settlements are packed promiscuously in gunny bags, each 

 containing from one half to one Pikul. According to the value in the 

 Chinese market, the fishmongers assort the fins in two kinds : "white" 

 and " black." The white consist exclusively of the dorsal fins, which 

 are on both sides of a uniform light colour, and reputed to yield more 

 gelatina than the other fins. In China the lovers of gelatinous soups 

 pay from 30 to 40 Spanish Dollars per Pikul of white fins. The pec- 

 toral, ventral and anal fins pass under the denomination of black fins. 

 The colour, however, varies according to the species from buff to grey 

 or brown, and most of them are of two different colours, the upper 

 surface being dark, the lower light. The black fins, for obvious rea- 

 sons the most numerous, are supposed to yield a comparatively small 

 quantity of gelatina, and sell in China from 15 to 20 Spanish Dollars 

 per Pikul. Mr. W. T. Lewis has communicated the annexed Table, 

 sbewing the quantity of Sharks' fins imported into and exported during 

 10 years from Pinang to China. 



