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Part III. — Twenty-sixth Annual Report 



caught under similar conditions and speak of them as "drowned herrings," 

 since many of them are found dead when taken on board. These are 

 always difficult to cure. It will be frequently found, however, that in 

 examining a catch of trawl fish many of them pass into a condition 

 of rigor and behave under treatment just like line fish. These may 

 have been only a very short time in the trawl net, and some may have 

 been captured when the net was being hauled on board. 



From these investigations we must conclude that trawl fish, since rigor 

 sets in earlier and disappears earlier, which fact allows the earlier onset 

 of decomposition, are neither equal to line fish in general conditions, nor 

 in curing properties, nor in keeping properties, except when the fish have 

 only been a short time in the trawl net. 



The above statement compares trawl with line fishing only so far as 

 they are comparable, and takes no account of the process of icing fish. 



13. Manner in which Flesh Strips away from Backbone, or Bone 



away from flesh. 



When fresh fish are examiued from day to day it will be found that 

 during the first day it requires considerable pressure by finger and thumb 

 to separate flesh from bone, or to strip bone from flesh, and in doing so 

 many tags of flesh are left adhering to the bone. By the second day, 

 although rigor mortis will generally have disappeared and softening 

 commenced, due to early stage of decomposition, yet there may not be 

 much difference as compared with the first day. But from many 

 observations made, it was generally found that by the third day the flesh 

 is much more friable and soft, and separates from the bone with moderate 

 pressure. By the fourth day the flesh will generally be found to be soft 

 and pulpy and to strip off readily and cleanly, leaving very few tags 

 adhering to the bone. On the fifth day the flesh and bone separate from 

 each other readily and cleanly. 



When gutted and ungutted fish are compared together in this respect, 

 it will be found that the difference in time when the fish in both strips 

 off alike is not so great as one might expect, although it is certainly 

 longer on the whole in the case of the former. This is a very valuable 

 test, but for its due appreciation some care and practice is required. 



It is difficult, however, to attempt to set any precise time limit beyond 

 which the fish should be condemned by this test. The times stated 

 above are an average, but will be found fairly accurate in practice. One 

 must judge by the degree of pressure required, and the degree of clean- 

 ness of separation. When the flesh comes away readily and cleanly with 

 little pressure, one usually finds other confirmatory signs and has no 

 hesitation in at once condemning such fish. 



14. Thb Appearance of the Abdominal Walls as Affbcted 

 by the Gut. 



The part played by the gut is one of the chief factors in initiating 

 decomposition in fish and possesses considerable interest. If ordinary 

 white fish, such as haddock or whiting, line-caught and ungutted, be laid 

 out and kept moist for experimental purposes and examined Irom hour to 

 hour, it will be found that the wall of the gut in almost every case is the 

 first part to undergo post-mortem changes and solution. This will some- 

 times be observed to take place before rigor mortis has set in, and 

 very frequently before rigor has passed off. It is a question round which 



