On East Indian Isinglass. 



179 



and recrystallized, would answer the purpose. There is, how- 

 ever, considerable variety in the native salts in different 

 districts, but in general their impurities appear to depend 

 on the evaporation of sea water to perfect dryness, instead of 

 allowing the last portion of the solution, which consists 

 chiefly of muriates of magnesia, lime, and sulphate of soda 

 to drip off. 



Salt for curing provisions should not contain above two 

 or three per cent, of these last named impurities ; whereas, 

 if sea water be evaporated to dryness, the result will contain 

 in addition to muriate of soda, above ten per cent, of sul- 

 phate and deliquescent muriates, which absorb moisture, and 

 have no antisceptic properties, but the contrary. Salt for 

 curing provisions should also be large grained, hard, dry, 

 and coarse, but white. When such salt is used, fish or other 

 provisions may be as perfectly cured in India during the 

 cold weather, from the end of November to the end of Janu- 

 ary, when the Sulea fish is in season, as in any other climate. 



The only other distinct propositions we can venture to 

 urge at present is, that an experimental fishery be esta- 

 blished at Amherst, where Mr. Blundell reports arrange- 

 ments for the purpose to have already, in some degree been 

 made, and that regular information regarding the progress 

 of the experiment may be reported. 



A figure, (Plate vi.) together with a few remarks on the 

 history of a species promising to become so important to the 

 commerce of India, may not be here out of place. Polynemus 

 plebeiuSy Polynemus li?ieatus, and Polynemus sele, are names 

 which have been proposed by different authors for the same 

 species. 



It was first made known to naturalists by Broussonnet, 

 from a specimen obtained by Sir Joseph Banks at Otaiti, 

 where it is called D'emoi. About the same period, Dr. John, 

 a missionary at Tranquebar, one of the earliest, and at the 

 same time one of the most distinguished, explorers of the 



