PISCES. 



55 



excessive waste which goes on in this department. We depend 

 for our main supply on four families* 4 — the mackarel tribe, the 

 herring tribe, the flat fish, and the cods ; but it is only the well 

 known members of these families that are eaten. If a rare 

 specimen occurs, it is thrown away, but yet it is certainf that 

 every member of each of these families is not only edible, 

 but good eating. Indeed, with the exception of the larger 

 sharks, the sunfishes, and the globe-fish, there is not, in my 

 opinion, based on an extensive experience, a single British fish 

 which is unfit for food under some form of cookery or other. 

 Whilst of the sharks and rays I can say that their cartilaginous 

 bones under the process of stewing, dissolve into a strong jelly. 

 I suppose this may be so of the globe-fish and sun-fishes, but I 

 do not know it. But it is not only in the fish which we throw 

 away that we make our waste, but in the method of dressing the 

 fish which we cook. We boil turbot and sole, and the water in 

 which they are boiled is (and correctly) thrown away; but if 

 instead of boiling them we dressed them by the process of steam- 

 ing, we should save from them a quantity of very rich jelly, 

 And then again, how very rarely do we make any use of fish 

 liver ! the good housewife who will boil down the bones and 

 scraps of any meat to make stock for soup, will throw away fish 

 bones and scraps with complacency, never recollecting for a 

 moment that fish soups are as good as any other soups, and not 

 aware perhaps that the stock of most of the queen of soups — ■ 

 turtle soup — (a soup by the way wholly of marine origin) when 

 used for public dinners or in large hotels is made from conger. 

 The subject is worthy of consideration. We throw away a third 

 part of our fish, and waste a third part of those which we 

 consume. 



THO. COENISH. 



Penzance. 



* It will be observed that I confine myself to the supply of salt-water fish, I 

 say nothing of Salmon and other fresh water fish ; but I apprehend that they are 

 by no means so important a branch of fish supply as the smallest of the families 

 which I have named. The "Gurnards " or the "Conger" are, perhaps, quite 

 equal to the salmons as a source of general fish supply. 



f I except Tadpole Fish. I have never tried it, but, its strong smell notwith- 

 standing, I see no reason against its being wholesome food. 



