Production of Isinglass on the Coasts of India. 87 



The fishes which produce it on the coast of Brazil have not been 

 ascertained. Camera supposed it to be a species of Gadus.* Mr. 

 Yarrell informs me that no species of Gadus is caught on the coast 

 of Brazil. The common Cod prefers water of a low temperature ; 

 though found all the year about Boston, it migrates northward from 

 New York when warm weather begins. The fishes producing Isinglass 

 in Brazil, he further writes, are probably species of the genera Py- 

 melodus and Silurus, or closely allied genera. 



The Brazilian Isinglass is imported from Para and Maranham. It 

 is very inferior in quality for domestic purposes to the best imported 

 from Russia, which sells for 12s. per lb., and the other from about 

 3s. to 3s. 6d., and even as low as 9d. per lb. It is in the form of 

 Pipe, Block, Purse, Honey-comb, Cake, and Tongue Isinglass, the 

 last formed of a double swimming-bladder. The specimens known to 

 Mr. Yarrall appeared to him to belong to different species of Fish. 



The Isinglass obtained from North America, in the form of long 

 ribbons, is produced, according to Dr. Mitchill, by Labrus squeatea- 

 gue, at New York, which is called weak fish, about fifteen inches in 

 length, and above six pounds in weight, forming one of their most 

 abundant fish, and the principal supply of their tables. One author 

 states that the thick silvery swimming-bladders are pressed, and 

 others that the intestines are cut into strips, and I am told, pressed 

 between iron rollers to form Isinglass. 



The Labrus Squeateague is Otolithus regalis of Cuvier (the Johnius 

 regalis of Bloch), of the tribe Scisenoides. These are allied to the 

 Perches, but have more variety, and a more complicated structure in 

 their natatory bladders ; almost all good for eating, and many are 

 of superior flavour. To the genus Otolithus also belong some Indian 

 fishes, as O. ruber, Cuv., the Peche pierre of Pondicherry, called 

 there panan, is fifteen inches long, and is caught in abundance all the 

 year, being esteemed as food, and 0. versicolor, Cuv. This genus is 

 closely allied to Scisena, of which species as S. Aquila (maigre of the 

 French, and umbrina of the Romans), &c, are found in the Mediter- 

 ranean. S. Pama or Bole Pama of the Ganges resembles the maigres, 



* Notice suv Ticthycolle fonrnee par diffeventes especes de gadus que Ton 

 peche au Bresil. La Medicine eclairee par les Sciences Physiques, i. p. 361. 



