Of The Gar-Fish

The gar-fish has a long and slender body, with a very long sharp snout : the back is green, the fides and belly of a silver colour, and the head of a bluish green : the under jaw is longer than the upper, and both are armed with very sharp teeth, the upper jaw only is movable. The flesh is hard, dry, and but indifferent eating.

Of The Mullet

The mullet is an inhabitant of the sea, rivers, and lakes. Some are bred in rivers, and others come out of the sea into the mouths of rivers, where they flay some time,and become so fat as to render it less esteemed than those taken in the sea, because the fat is of a bad taste; and therefore they eat best broiled. The flesh of the sea-mullet is more firm, better tailed, more wholesome, and requires but little seasoning in regard of those before mentioned. Those that are taken in muddy waters are worst of all, and generate bad humours : they agree best with strong healthy people, and are most in season in the autumn and winter.

Of The Shad

The shad is a sea-fish that comes up to the rivers in the spring, and is in season soon after; for when it first leaves the sea, it is meagre, dry, and ill- tasted, but when it has been in the fresh water some time, it become fleshy, fat, and of a better taste. It is of the herring kind, and is at best but a boney indifferent fish. Some, to mend them, notch them deeply on the fides, and then lay them to broil over a hot fire; by this means, they affirm, the bones are consumed, or at lead cease to be troublesome, and eat abundantly better. The Severn shad are quite another sort of a fish.

Of Lobsters, Crabs, And Crawfish

These though different as to shape and the places where they inhabit, are much of the same nature, and yield the same kind of nourishment. They are very restorative, and a proper diet for emaciated consumptive persons. Crawfish soup has been long famous for disorders of the breast, and for supporting the strength of the weak and feeble. It is certain that the juice of all these animals is unctuous and balsamic, and the flesh proper to help ulcers in the throat and lungs, to promote urine, and to purify the blood. Lobsters and crabs should be fresh caught, and fleshy. It is said they are not in season in those months with an R in them.

Of Oysters

Oysters are of as many different kinds as the places from which they are brought: Those in highest esteem are the Milton; then Colchester, Queenborough, etc. They should be chosen of a middle size, fat, plump, and full of liquor. Oysters sharpen the appetite, promote urine, open the body, and are great provocatives. Eaten moderately they are very wholesome, and good in all consumptive cases, because they nourish very much. They are best raw; for when roasted, scolloped, or boiled, they are more hard of digestion. They are in season in cold weather, or, according to the common faying, when there is an R in the month. But the truth is, in the summer time, when they cast their spat or spawn, they are lean and sickly; and if no regard was had to this, they would never be eatable between the tropicks, which is contrary to all experience. .