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Part III. — Twenty -sixth Annual Report 



firm and fresh, while closer examination shows that the tissues are 

 saturated with sour-smelling ferments and in the earlier stages of 



decomposition, 



4. The Firmness, Softness, etc., of the Fish when Handled. 



One carefully notes the presence or absence of rigidity — especially 

 towards the tail region, where it generally persists longest. If it is 

 present, it stamps the fish as perfectly fresh, and they will be found to be 

 firm and elastic to touch and to slight pressure between finger and thumb. 

 If it is absent, then the fish are not quite fresh. Instead of being firm 

 and elastic they become soft and inelastic, and very soon pit readily and 

 deeply on moderate pressure. Their fitness or unfitness for human food 

 has to be decided by other considerations. There are also certain very 

 definite chemical changes, which take place as muscle passes from the 

 fresh to the putrid condition, and which can be readily detected by litrrus 

 paper. But this subject will be discussed in detail subsequently under 

 the heading of " Rigor Mortis." 



5. Appearance of Surface and Scales. 



One readily observes the imbricated arrangement and disposition of the 

 scales, with their silvery, iridescent, and golden sheen below the lateral 

 line, and paler olive colour towards the dorsum, when a fish is seen 

 newly caught and perfectly fresh. This appearance is, however, only of 

 hourly duration, and the lustre disappears long before decomposition 

 ensues. But more important is the general firmness or looseness of the 

 scales. In the fresh state the scales have a certain degree of firmness, and 

 hence when one finds that they rub off readily, it certainly indicates that 

 the fish are not quite fresh. If, on the other hand, the surface presents 

 a patchy appearance, it often indicates that the fish have been trawled or 

 roughly handled. This appearance, combined with a good deal of blood 

 extravasation about the head region, is very characteristic of trawled fish. 



6. Appearance of the Eyes. 



This readily appeals to most people in examining fish, but it has 

 a very limited value. In the newly-caught and fresh fish, the full 

 and prominent eye, with jet black pupil in most fish, and transparent 

 cornea, is a very prominent feature. In whatever condition the 

 fish is kept these appearances are very brief. For in 24 hours, in most 

 cases, one can detect commencing opalescence in the cornea, with a lack- 

 lustre appearance of the pupil, and usually in 48 hours slight hollowing 

 of the eyeball is seen. These changes gradually become more intensified, 

 and by the third or fourth day the eyes are grey and shrunken. 



7. Appearance of Gills. 



This is a time-honoured criterion, and although a good one, yet it is 

 not an absolutely safe guide regarding the condition of a fish. In fresh 

 fish the colour of the gills is described as bright red. This may be a 

 good generic term ; but in haddocks and whitings, although the ground 

 colour is red, it is not a deep red. There is present a quite characteristic 

 pale reddish tint, whereas in the herring it is a darker red or 

 brownish-red tint. Thus different varieties exhibit different tints, with 

 red as a ground colour. Now, in every case, in about '24 to 36 



