410 Isinglass* 
the ends, the better to prevent its unfolding. That call- 
ed lake isinglass is formed of the bits and fragments of 
the staple sorts, put into a flat metalline pan, with a very 
little water, and heated just enough to make the parts co- 
here like a pancake when it is dried, but frequently it is 
over-heated, and such pieces, as before observed, are 
useless in the business of fining. Isinglass, is best made in 
the summer, as frost gives it a disagreeable colour, de- 
prives it of weight, and impairs its gelatinous principles ; 
its fashionable forms are unnecessary, and frequently in- 
jurious to its native qualities. It is common to find oily 
putrid matter and exuvice of insects between the implicat- 
ed membranes, which through the inattention of the cel- 
lerman often contaminate wines and malt liquors in the 
act of clarification. These peculiar shapes might proba- 
bly be introduced originally with a view to conceal and 
disguise the reaj substance of isinglass and preserve the 
monopoly , but as the mask is now taken oil, it cannot 
be doubted to answer every purpose more eflectually in 
its native state, without any subsequent manufacture what- 
ever, especially to the principal consumers, who hence 
will be enabled to procure sufficient supplies from the 
British colonies. Until this laudable end can be fully 
accomplished, and as a species of isinglass more easily 
procurable from the marine fisheries may probably be 
more immediately encouraged, it may be manufactured 
as follows : 
The sounds of cod and ling bear great analogy with 
those of the accipenser genus of Linnaeus^ — and are so 
generally well known as to require no particular descrip- 
tion. 
The Newfoundland and Iceland fishers split open the 
fish as soon as taken, and throw the back bones with the 
sounds annexed in a heap. ' But previous to incipient 
* Acipenser Huso. 
