Sharks' Fins of commerce are not, however, exclusively selected from sharks (Squall), but equally from rays (Raiaa), and at Penang com posed of the genera, — Stegostoma, Carcharias, Sphyrna, Pristis, Rhinobatus, Trygon, and Mylio batis. Of all fishes, sharks and rays are the most valuable to Chinese. The flesh and entrails of all, not even the electric rays (Torpedinidaa) excepted, are eaten either fresh or dried ; the skin is used for polishing or converted into shagreen ; gelatine is obtained from the larger fins, glue from the smaller. All except the caudal fins are cut at the root, so as to leave as little flesh as possible. The root is dipped in wetted lime (chunam), th. en dried in the sun, and packed promiscuously m gunny bags, each containing from one half to one pikul. According to the value in the Chinese market, the fishmongers assort the fins in two kinds, white and black. The- white consist ex clusively of the dorsal fins, which are on both sides of a uniform light colour, and reputed to yield more gelatine than the other fins. In China, the lovers of gelatinous soups pay from 30 to 40 Spanish dollars per pikul of white fins. Tho pectoral, ventral, and anal fins pass under the denomination of black fins. The colour, however, varies according to the species from buff to grey or brown, and most of them are of two different colours, the upper surface being dark, the lower light. The black fins, for obvious reasons the most numerous, are supposed to yield a compara tively small quantity of gelatine, and sell in China at from 15 to 20 Spanish dollars per pikul.
In China, at least one-tenth of the river and seaside population derive their food from the water, and much ingenuity is shown. Nets are woven of hempen thread, and boiled in a solu tion of gambier (Uncaria gambier) to preserve them from rotting. The fishing smacks which swarm along the coast go out in pairs, partly that the cre ws may afford mutual relief and pro tection, but chiefly to join in dragging the net fastened to their boats. In the shallows of rivers, rows of heavy poles are driven down, and nets secured to them, which are examined and changed at every tide. Those who attend these stake-nets, moreover, attach to their boats scoops or drag-nets, so loaded that they Will sink and gather the sole, ray, and other fish feeding near the bottom. Lifting nets, 20 feet square, are suspended from poles elevated and depressed by a hawser worked by a windlass on shore ; the nets are baited with the whites of eggs spread on the meshes. Cor morants are trained in great numbers in the eastern provinces to capture fish, and are sometimes under such good order that they will disperse at a given signal, and return with their prey without the precaution of a neck-ring. A single boatman can easily oversee twelve or fifteen of these birds ; and although hundreds may be out upon the water, each one knows its own master. If one seize a
fish too heavy for it alone, another comes to his assistance, and the two carry it aboard. The birds themselves are fed on beau-curd, and eels or fish. They lay eggs when three years old, which are often hatched under barnyard hens, and the chickens fed with eels' blood and hash. They do not fish during the summer months. The price of a pair varies from five to eight dollars. Shell-fish and molluscs, both fresh and salt, are abundant in the Chinese market. ;, Mussels are caught in small cylindrical basket traps, attached to a single rope, and floated with the tido near the bottom. Oysters of a good quality are common along the coast ; and a species of Mactra, or sand clam, is fished up near Macao. The Pearl River affords two or three fresh-water shell-fish, of I the genus Mytilus, which are obtained by dredg ing. The prawns, shrimps, crabs, crawfish, and other kinds of crustacea met with are not less abundant than palatable ; one species of craw 1 fish, as large, but not taking the place of the I lobster, called lang hai or dragon crab, cuttle-fish of three or four kinds, and the large king crab (Polyphemus), are all eaten by the Chinese, though not relished by others. On the Chinese coast, several species of Serranus (as Plectropoma susuki, Serranus shihpan, etc.), generally called shippan by the natives and garoupa by foreigners, are common about Macao, and considered the most delicate-flavoured of any in the markets. Another common and delicious fish is the Polynemus tetradactylus or bynni carp, usually called salmon by foreigners, and isinglan is prepared from its skin. The poinfret or stan-gyu of the Chinese (Stromatetis argenteus) is a good pan fish, but not so delicate as tho solo fish, many species of which abound in tho shallows of tho Bogue. Two or three species of mackerel, the Mama lucida, an Ophiocophalus, the rnullet, the white rice flab, and a kind of shad, complete tho list of good table fish found in tho markets of Canton.
Tha Chinese fish-catcher is to bo seen, per fectly naked, half-walking, half-swimming. His feet warn him that a fish is at hand, and they feel for it amongst tho mud at the bottom of the pond. The next moment tho fisherman is under water, and ho remains so long that you think something has happened to him. A few seconds more and he appears, rubbing his face and eyes with ono hand, and in the other triumphantly holding up the fish which he has just captured. It is immediately placed safely in his basket, and the work goes on as before. The surface of the water is struck and spla.shed, in order to frighten the fish which aro swimming arnong,st the feet of the Chinamen. Being fright ened, they dive immediately to the bottom amongst the mud, where they are felt by the feet, and soon taken by these expert divers.