Page:Willich, A. F. M. - The Domestic Encyclopædia (Vol. 4, 1802).djvu/426

392&#93; 392] ANC was reftjoved ; when, after poiir- ingoff the water, and evaporating by a gentle heat, "that part of the petroleum which retained its flui- dity, the condensed residuum was •fouhd to possess all the properties of amber. Such mode of preparing that valuable bitumen, however, would be too tedious to be gene- rally adopted ; but Prof. H. from this ingenious experiment, justly infers, that amber originates from petroleum, oxygenated and inspis- sated by its contaft with the at- masphere, under the a£Uon of the £UU. ANCHOVY or Clupea encra- sicolus, L. a small fish of the her- ring-kind, taken in immense qoan - titles on the coast of the Mediter- ranean Sea, whence they are im- ported into Britain, in a pickled state. They are in general from 3 to 4 inches in length, have a pointed head, a wide mouth destitute of teeth, and the gums are uncom- monly rough. — According to Col- lins, these diminutive fish are, likewise, found in abundance, on the Western Coasts of England and W?les. 1 ne fishing for anchovies is prin- cipally carried on during the night; vhen, a light being affixed to the stern of a small vessel, the ancho- vies are thus attradled, and caught in nets. It is, however, asserted that they are neither so good, firm, nor so proper for pickling, as those taken without this stratagem. Af- ter having secured these delicate fish, their heads are cut off j the intestines extrafled; and the bodies salted, and deposited in barrels. In the choice of anchovies, such as are small, round-backed, fresh pickled, white on the outside, and red within, deserve to be preferred ; Ijepause thpsc pf a flat, or large ANO form, are frequently a spurious sort, called sardinias. Independently of these c^alities, the pickle should possess a fine taste and flavour. Anchovies are variously pre- pared : after loning them, and taking off die tails and fins, they may either be eaten with oil and vinegar ; or, by mincing them with pepper, &c. be formed into sauce for other fish. They are likewise packed in small earthen vessels, closely covered, so as to exclude the air : by this simple precaution, their flavour may, for a long time, be preserved. JBut the most eflec- tual method of keeping these fish in a concentrated state, is that of re- ducing the fleshy part to a soft pulp, of the consistence of butter j and, after adding pepper or other spices, the extra6l of anchovies thus prepared, should be put in gallipots, first covered with a round piece of fine writing-paper, or hog's bladder ; and then melted beef suet in a lukewarm state, must be poured over the whole, so as to leave about half an inch space be- tween this air-tight covering and the top of the vtssel, which is again secured with strong paper. ANOTTA, is an elegant red colouring substance, prepared from the pellicles, or pulp, which sur- round the seeds of the Arnotto Tree, or Bixu, L, a native of South America. According to Labat, the Indians prepare an anotta far superior to that imported into Britain : it $ of a bright, glossy, redcoloar, little in- ferior to Carmine. For this pur- pose, instead of steeping and fer- menting the seeds in water, they rub iliem with tlie hands, previ- ously immersed in oil, till the pel- licles are separated, and reduced to a clear paste 3 which is then scraped