C 9 ] 
liquors ; but the latter, through a peculiar kind of 
interwoven texture, are with great difficulty torn afun- 
der, and long refill the power of the fame men- 
ftruum ; yet, when duly refolved, are found to aft 
with equal energy in clarifying liquors. 
Ifinglafs receives its different fhapes in the follow- 
ing manner. 
The parts, of which it is compofed, particularly the 
founds, are taken from the fifh while fweet and frefh, 
flit open, wafhed from their flimy fordes , divefted 
of every thin membrane which invelopes the found, 
and then expofed to fliffen a little in the air. In this 
fiate, they are formed into rolls about the thicknefs 
of a finger, and in length according to the intended 
fize of the ftaple : a thin membrane is generally 
felefted for the center of the roll, round which the 
reft are folded alternately, and about half an inch of 
each extremity of the roll is turned inwards. The 
due dimenfions being thus obtained, the two ends 
of- what is called fhort ftaple are pinned together 
with a fmall wooden * peg ; the middle of the roll 
is then preffed a little downwards, which gives it 
the refemblance of a heart fhape, and thus it is laid 
on boards, or hung up in the air to dry. The founds, 
which compofe the long ftaple, are larger than the 
former ; but the operator lengthens this fort at plea- 
fure, by interfolding the ends of one or more pieces 
of the found with each other. The extremities are 
faftened with a peg, like the former ; but the middle 
part of the roll is bent more confiderably down- 
* See the annexed Drawings [Tab. h Fig. i.J 
Vol. LXIII. C wards ; 
