The New Orleans daily Democrat., 1877-05-10
FISH.
THE Deitcaries Of our Markets Fishing
the p0mpanO.

| FISH.
THE Deltcacies Of our Misunderstanding
| the FOmpanO.
| As we said in our much copied without credit
article, under the caption "What to Eat" this Is
the season for fish, for two reasons. to wit: First
because our longings at this period OF the year
are for fish food. and secondly, because good and
nutritious fresh meats are scarce in our markets,
and iish ought TO be in fine condition, abundant
| aud cheap.
fought to be-" but owing TO an unusual linger-
ing, az the poets say, "of winter IN the lap OF
spring." the usual supplies OF good, wholesome
fish Of The infinite variety inhsbting our waters,
there has been very perceptibe disinolination
OF these valuable contributors to our nourish-
ment and enjoyment to approach near enough to
the Shores and in the bays and coves, so as TO
come within reach of our fshermen's nets, seines
and lines hsnca an unusual scarcity OF good fish
has created q lamentab!e void In onr markets,
and increased psnfully the perplexity of purvey-
| ors for hotels, boarding houses, restaurants and
private families. We were grstihed, however
last Sunday, TO observe that there was quite
cheerful change in this respect; visible increase
OF the supply and improvement in the quality OF
ish exhibited in the stalls in our principal mar
kets.
| Those enterprisipg fish merchants, Pettigrew,
| of Poydras, Feehhm, of Magazine, and England
and JaIon, of the French Market, and their com
peers had splendid arrsv on Sunday OF the fol-
lowing species, naming them in the order OF their
excellence Pompano, Spanish Mackerel,
Blue fsh, Grouper, Red Snapper. sheephead,
Croaker, Trout, Drum, Bass. Sea Turtle, Grabs,
and Prswns OF enormous size.
This is o good showing, and ought to satisfy
the hankerers for fish food and console us all for
the lack and high price OF meats. tits true that
the Pompano. that prince OF fish, owing to its
rarity, is held at prices beyond the reach OF per-
sons Of moderate means. But even to these
there is some pleasure to know that he will min
lister to somebody's enjoyment, and that it is net
the purpose of his tribe to abandon onr shores
and seek some warmer CLINE, and that our inno-
cont and frolcsome friends who gambol along
our sescoast, the porpoises, will not be cheated
out OF their fsvorite food.
II would be a great loss If these porpoises
should be thus enticed away, as their services
are so favorable to the fishermen in chasing the
fish they seek in near the shore and into shoal
water where they can be entrapped into seines
huA hbth' Au Va Sass oaVJ "a'o
porposes are especially valuable in the chase Of
pompano, for which they have very keen EosDt
and sweet tooth. The pompano Ia caught off
the coast Of Florida in seines. To drive them in
near the shore, the smacks start off in long
line together. The porpoises, which have been
lowering around them, no sooner discover their
object than they, too, form in circle around the
sma achs and assist in driving the pompanos into
the shore, beating or soaring back all stragglers.
And then, when the fishermen throw out their
seiues and begin to have them filed with this
valuable fish. the porpoises press closely up to
the floating corks and, whirng on their backs,
catch in their always distended but inconvenient-
ly located mouths the adventurous and winged
captives, who leap over the seine TO escape into
deep water.
They rarely escape, and thor example, no
doubt, deters others from like experiments, and
reconces the great majority to their fate, which,
considering the high price they command, and
the great esteem in which they are held by gonr-
mands, ought not to be regarded by such philo-
sophical nd we'll conditioned fish to be SO hard a
lot after oil. The agility and fidelity with which
porpoises perform their part OF the chase OF the
pompano is charming exhibition OF animal, or.
as our leading but unscientifc senior insists
pisoine intelligence and sagacty. This exhibition
la much the more entertaining by the very amusing
antics with which the porpoise fulfil their func-
tions in this joint stock enterprise of chasing and
| catching pompano to their own advertisement
and that Of their tes, the fishermen.
As the pompsnos, which derive this habit OF
jumping out Of the seine from their maokerel
origin, make their perilous leaps, the quick eyed
porpoise turning upon his back. his tail catches
the pompano in his descent, and hurls him still
higher than his original fight, so that be may
fall fairly and squsrely in his mouth, and often
! repeats this movement, whether for playfulness
or certainty OF his descent into his proper place
of deposit. is not clearly indicated. This treat
ment Of his prey is very similar to that OF the
cat with the mouse. This looks like a fish story,
| but IL is a veritable one and we are authorized
to give our friend Pettigrew, Of Poydras Market,
as authority for it. His Endorsement will be sufi-
| cient all through the world.