1/6 



On East Indian Isinglass. 



It would appear from the information collected by Mr. 

 Blundell, and referred to below, as well as in the report of 

 Mr. E. O'Reily, recorded in the second volume of the Cal- 

 cutta Journal of Natural History, that the Polynemus sele 

 frequents the estuaries of the Irrawaddi during the cold 

 season, precisely as it does those of the Ganges, and as we 

 learn from Dr. Heddle, those of the Indus and Coast of 

 Scinde. With regard to the Isinglass, Mr. E. O'Reily re- 

 marks, that the article never having been noticed in the 

 Moulmein river before, it appeared difficult when he wrote, 

 (August 1841,) to say to what extent it may be procurable. 

 The arrangements proposed by Mr. O'Reily to the head 

 fisherman, of erecting stake-traps at the mouth of the river, 

 seemed to promise about 500 viss, or 2000 lbs., as the pro- 

 bable amount of Isinglass that may be collected during the 

 dry season. Similar arrangements might be made at the 

 mouths of the Great Tenasserim and other estuaries along 

 the Coast. 



Captain Bogle, Commissioner of Arrakan, to whom at the 

 desire of Lord Auckland we gave in August last a specimen 

 of the Sulea fish to shew to the people on that Coast, to- 

 gether with all the information in our power, soon after in- 

 formed us, that the Sulea fish is found at Arrakan in great 

 abundance and perfection. It is there called Lukwah, and 



The large sounds, as per specimen, are at this season imported from 

 Rangoon, and sell here at 1J rupee per viss. The Chinaman says, the 

 smaller specimen is much finer, and would bring a much larger price if 

 imported with others, but I suppose the Burmese look more to quantity 

 than to quality. I should very much like to hear McClelland's report 

 on it, especially the smaller specimen, which I think is very fine, and 

 certainly more plentiful in the fish here than in that described by him.' 1 

 The small fish alluded to in the foregoing note is the young Suleah, the 

 large sound being afforded by the adult fish ; our own observations 

 rather prove the sounds of the adult fish to be the purest, although 

 both Dr. Heddle and Captain Bogle state, that small sounds bring a 

 higher price in China: the subject requires further investigation. 



